Apple is in early talks to acquire Perplexity AI, a startup that has been standing out as one of Google’s main rivals in the artificial intelligence sector. The potential purchase is part of Apple’s strategy to reduce its dependence on Google, especially in light of a possible end to the contract that currently earns the company about $20 billion a year.Perplexity AI was recently valued at $14 billion after a funding round. If the negotiation progresses, this would be Apple’s largest acquisition in history, surpassing the purchase of Beats in 2014 for $3 billion.
Why is this potential purchase important?
At the beginning of the year, Meta also tried to acquire Perplexity, but ended up investing in Scale AI. Now, with Apple’s interest, the AI market could undergo a new reconfiguration.
Experts believe that Apple might be preparing to launch its own AI-powered search engine, which would represent a direct challenge to Google’s dominance. Eli Schwartz, a global reference in SEO, commented: ‘I thought Google’s dominance would last forever, but this move by Apple could change everything.’
If the partnership between Apple and Google is dissolved, the search giant could find itself in a vulnerable position, especially with Apple making a strong entry into the smart search segment.
