Apple Weighs Potential Bid for AI Startup Perplexity Amid Growing Industry Interest

Apple Inc. is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring Perplexity, a fast-rising artificial intelligence startup, as part of its broader push into AI-powered search technologies. According to Bloomberg News, internal discussions have taken place among senior Apple executives, although no formal offer has been made and the talks remain at an early stage.

The report suggests that Adrian Perica, Apple’s head of mergers and acquisitions, has informally discussed the potential deal with services chief Eddy Cue and top AI strategists. However, sources indicated that Perplexity’s leadership has not yet been approached, and Apple has not issued any public comment on the matter. In response to media inquiries, Perplexity stated it is unaware of any ongoing or upcoming M&A discussions.

This news comes on the heels of mounting interest from other tech giants in Perplexity. Meta Platforms also reportedly explored acquiring the startup earlier this year, underscoring the growing competition in AI-driven search. Meta recently committed $14.8 billion to Scale AI and appointed its CEO Alexandr Wang to head a new superintelligence division, reinforcing the urgency among tech giants to secure AI talent and infrastructure.

Founded with backing from Nvidia, Perplexity is valued at $14 billion following a recent funding round. Its core offering is an AI search tool that delivers concise, context-aware answers to users, positioning it as a strong alternative to traditional search engines like Google. As Apple considers enhancing its Safari browser with AI search capabilities, integrating technology similar to Perplexity could serve as a major step in reducing its dependency on Alphabet’s Google—currently Safari’s default search engine.

The U.S. Department of Justice has proposed regulatory measures to curb Google's search monopoly, including banning it from paying companies to secure default search status. This regulatory backdrop may accelerate Apple’s shift toward developing or acquiring in-house search solutions.

While the traditional search market remains dominated by Google, new AI-powered platforms like Perplexity and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are rapidly gaining traction, especially among younger users who favor faster, more intuitive information delivery.

If Apple moves forward with an acquisition close to Perplexity’s reported valuation, it could mark the company’s largest-ever deal—a sign of how seriously the iPhone maker is taking the AI arms race.