Apple is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring Perplexity AI, a fast-rising player in AI-powered search, as part of a broader push to strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities. If the deal moves forward, it could mark Apple’s biggest acquisition yet — and signal a major shift in how the company approaches search and voice assistants.
According to a Bloomberg report published on June 20, senior Apple executives, including Apple’s head of mergers and acquisitions, Adrian Perica, and services chief Eddy Cue, have held early-stage discussions internally about a potential deal. Perplexity told Reuters that it had “no knowledge” of any such talks — suggesting nothing formal has been presented to its leadership so far.
Still, the timing is notable. Apple has been working to embed more AI-driven features into Safari and may be looking for ways to reduce its reliance on Google.
Perplexity has gained popularity for its real-time, conversational search results — offering a more direct, chatbot-style experience similar to ChatGPT and Google Gemini. It’s seen by some as an early threat to the traditional search engine model.
Earlier this year, Meta also reportedly tried to buy Perplexity, but failed. The company later shifted its focus to a $14.8 billion investment in Scale AI. Now, it seems Apple could be stepping in, potentially not just for the tech, but for Perplexity’s growing talent pool — something Apple may benefit from as it looks to improve Siri.
There’s also a competitive angle. Samsung is reportedly in talks to integrate Perplexity’s search tools into its upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup. If Apple were to secure a deal, it could cut off that opportunity and gain an edge in the AI race.
A successful $14 billion deal would easily surpass Apple’s largest purchase to date — its $3 billion acquisition of Beats in 2014. Whether this leads to a smarter Siri, a more independent Safari, or a new way to search on iPhones, one thing is clear: Apple is getting serious about AI.
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(Source: Reuters, Bloomberg)
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