In the high-stakes race to dominate the landscape of artificial intelligence, a new player has emerged. Indeed, this player’s emergence has been a spectacular one, even the two of the world’s most enormous tech titans, Apple and Meta, have noticed. The name of this new player is Perplexity AI, a conversational search engine that has redefined how users handle online information. According to Bloomberg, Meta and Apple tried to seal a deal with the nearly three-year-old AI startup.
The primary reason behind the reported acquisition interest may be due to Meta’s and Apple’s slow progress in developing AI products, while competitors such as Google and OpenAI are charging ahead. Furthermore, the tech world believes that AI might be the next significant revolution of the internet. Indeed, the sudden interest underscores this view. This blog is all about Perplexity AI and why Apple and Meta are interested in buying this AI powerhouse.
Perplexity AI: The Dawn of an AI Search Engine
Perplexity AI is an AI-based search engine founded in 2022. Basically, the platform provides answers in a summarized version. However, it does provide source links. Perplexity offers two search modes, namely Quick Search and Pro Search.
Quick search is designed for general searches, while pro search can be used to find detailed responses. Additionally, it offers three searches per day in its free tier. Initially, Perplexity was a tool that allowed users to interact with multiple AI models, much like search engines do. However, it has developed into an AI tool that can do more, like asking questions about specific files, creating images, and browsing specific pages based on users’ interests. That is to say, it has evolved much like ChatGPT, a conversational chatbot.
However, many of the other features are available only in the paid version of Perplexity. Some of the notable features in the paid version are unlimited file uploads, image generation, and access to more AI features. Recently, the platform has been developing a web browser named “Comet”. Although the platform is popular in the tech world, it still has to compete with industry giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Apple’s Collaboration with Perplexity AI: Potential Outcomes
A partnership with Perplexity will be a fruitful addition to Apple’s ecosystem. For Apple, the interest in acquisition is rooted in its desire to enhance the capabilities of its AI assistant. For years, Apple’s Siri has been facing criticism for not being as smart as Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. However, a collaboration with Perplexity AI can give Siri the intellectual power it lacks and transform it from a mere command taker to an efficient conversational assistant.
Furthermore, Apple’s longstanding deal with Google, worth several billion dollars, for keeping its search engine as the default on Apple’s web browser, Safari, is under critical regulatory scrutiny. There is a chance for this valuable deal to come to an end as well. In this case, acquiring Perplexity AI offers an advanced, ready-to-use solution that reduces its reliance on the key competitor. Moreover, this acquisition can bring Apple greater control over user experience on its own platforms.
Meta’s Collaboration with Perplexity AI: Potential Outcomes
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, also showed great interest in Perplexity AI’s capabilities. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already expressed his thoughts on making Meta’s future intertwined with AI. From social media feeds to advanced AI assistants, the Meta family will be integrated with powerful AIs. In this context, Perplexity’s conversational prowess might be a key to fulfilling this vision.
Imagine Instagram’s search evolving from a keyword-oriented one to an advanced version that can understand and respond to complex queries. What if they can be more intuitive and provide answers relevant to the context? Similarly, what do you think of having an AI assistant within WhatsApp, leveraging the potential of Perplexity, so that users can acquire information seamlessly, plan activities, and access more AI features? Here, while the acquisition wasn’t successful, the interest possesses strategic importance. Moreover, Meta has been on the lookout for AI professionals to develop and integrate more capabilities into their platforms.
As technology expands, this tech giant is also taking leaps to stay relevant in the industry with attractive offerings. For Meta, this collaboration indeed represents a method to enhance user engagement and unlock new ways to monetize their platforms within the vast social media space. However, it was eventually redirected to investing in Scale AI, a startup offering full-stack AI solutions.
The Bottom Line
This is More Than Just an Acquisition
The interest of Apple and Meta in Perplexity AI is indeed a robust validation of its potential to elevate their platforms. With a rapidly growing user base and innovative technological offerings, Perplexity AI is a necessary addition to the evolving internet landscape. Moreover, it is helpful for users seeking direct, trustworthy, and efficient access to information on the web.
Regardless of the collaborations with Apple or Meta, its independent trajectory is impressive for tech enthusiasts. Moreover, acquisition will be a substantial investment that these tech giants can make for building a sustainable future. Additionally, Perplexity has ignited some disruptions at the forefront of AI wars. In fact, these disruptions have the power to shape the future of how internet users find and interact with the knowledge available online. Most importantly, the question has shifted from “if conversational AI will change the world” to “who will lead the internet?”. And now, all eyes are on Perplexity AI!
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