Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL, ETR:APC) is reportedly weighing an acquisition of Perplexity AI, a fast-rising name in artificial intelligence, as the company looks to reassert itself in a sector where it has so far lagged behind peers.
The discussions, said to involve senior executives including mergers chief Adrian Perica and services lead Eddy Cue, remain at an early stage, according to reports first published by Bloomberg.
The potential deal would represent a rare strategic pivot for Apple, which has historically been cautious about major takeovers.
But with mounting investor pressure to show meaningful progress in AI, and a lacklustre showing at its most recent developer conference, the company appears to be reconsidering its stance.
Perplexity’s chatbot platform has drawn attention for its speed and clarity, attracting investment at a $14 billion valuation.
If Apple were to pursue a full acquisition, it would be the most substantial in the company’s history, both in terms of price and strategic significance.
Apple’s AI ambitions have been hobbled by slow progress on Siri and a reliance on Google's search infrastructure.
The two companies’ revenue-sharing deal, which reportedly brings in around $20 billion a year for Apple, is facing scrutiny from US regulators. This has added urgency to Apple's efforts to develop its own search technology.
The AI arms race has pushed competitors to make big moves.
Meta reportedly explored its own bid for Perplexity earlier this year before investing heavily in Scale AI.
Apple’s interest, even if tentative, signals a growing recognition that it needs to act decisively if it wants to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving field.