Web Desk: Perplexity AI, a company behind a new kind of internet browser, is making big news. Their browser uses AI to help people online, and now, tech giant Apple is reportedly interested in buying the company. This could change a lot in the world of AI tools.
Perplexity AI has been doing well this past year, mostly because of its new AI-powered browser called Comet. It first came out for Apple Mac computers. Comet helps users with daily online tasks using built-in AI. For example, it can summarize emails, find discounts when shopping, and even let you try on clothes virtually with a picture.
The company has said that a version of Comet for Windows computers is already being tested, and a version for Android phones is also on the way.
However, Perplexity's plans for Comet have caused some discussion about privacy. The company's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, said in an interview that Comet might collect user information from outside the app to make things more personal. This comment led to worries about privacy. Because of this, he later made it clear that collecting such information would be optional, and users would always have full control over their privacy settings.
In other important news, Apple is reportedly in early talks to buy Perplexity AI. This possible deal was first reported by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg. If Apple does buy Perplexity, it would join a very busy market for AI search tools, competing with big companies like Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft. Comet itself is already expected to go head-to-head with new browsers that also use AI.
Sources close to the matter say that Apple's head of company purchases is leading these talks, working with Apple's AI leaders. While these discussions are happening, they are still very early, and no deal has been made. A person from Perplexity AI said they don't know about any talks with Apple right now. If Apple goes ahead, this purchase would likely be one of its biggest investments in AI. Perplexity AI is thought to be worth around $14 billion, and it's also talking to Samsung about other deals.
