Apple executives held internal talks about buying Perplexity, Bloomberg News reports

Apple executives have reportedly held early internal discussions about potentially acquiring the AI search startup Perplexity, according to Bloomberg News. These talks are preliminary, and no formal offer has been made or discussed with Perplexity's management. Perplexity, recently valued at $14 billion following a funding round, offers AI-powered search tools akin to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. This move would mark Apple's largest acquisition to date. The company is exploring options to enhance its AI capabilities and possibly integrate AI-driven search features into its Safari browser, signaling a shift away from reliance on Google. Adrian Perica, Apple's head of mergers and acquisitions, has discussed the potential deal with senior Apple executives including services chief Eddy Cue. This interest is part of a broader trend among major tech companies, including Meta, which earlier attempted to acquire Perplexity and has invested $14.8 billion in Scale AI. As AI-search tools gain popularity, especially among younger demographics, companies are racing to strengthen their positions in the evolving AI landscape. Neither Apple nor Perplexity confirmed any ongoing discussions on the matter.