Why Apple Buying Perplexity Could Be Its Boldest AI Move Yet

Apple might finally be ready to shake the AI world—and not by tinkering with Siri again, but by absorbing one of the most promising AI startups in the game: Perplexity AI.

According to reports from Bloomberg, Reuters, CNN, and others, Apple’s executives have held internal discussions about acquiring Perplexity. No offer has been made yet, but the implications of even considering this move are enormous—for Apple, for Siri, and for the entire AI assistant landscape.

This might be the exact kind of leap Apple needs.

Auto-generated description: Logos of Apple and Perplexity are displayed side by side on a black background.

A Much-Needed AI Lifeline for Apple

Let’s be honest: Apple has been lagging. While Amazon has supercharged Alexa with Claude, Google is replacing Assistant with Gemini, and Microsoft has embedded ChatGPT into everything from Windows to Word, Apple’s flagship assistant has mostly stayed the same.

Even with the recent debut of Apple Intelligence, which brings generative features like writing tools, visual AI, and deeper Siri integration, much of the promised magic is delayed until 2026—and Siri still feels, well… Siri-like.

That’s where Perplexity comes in. A potential acquisition would bring:

  • A real-time, citation-powered search engine already beloved by researchers and tech-savvy users.
  • A brilliant AI team building cutting-edge tools in autonomy, browsing, and agentic AI.
  • A strategic hedge against losing its $18 billion-per-year Google search deal—currently under regulatory fire.

Perplexity’s Secret Weapons: Labs and Comet

What really sets Perplexity apart isn’t just smart answers—it’s their bold push into agentic AI, the kind that does things, not just says things.

  • Perplexity Labs lets AI autonomously plan, build, and execute workflows. Dashboards, reports, even multi-step analysis? It’s like a junior analyst that never sleeps.
  • Comet, their experimental browser, blends search and action. Think contextual tab management, browsing that understands what you’re trying to do, and AI that works across websites and tools like a human assistant.

Imagine Comet’s engine embedded in Safari. Or Labs baked into iOS. That would redefine what Apple devices could do with a single prompt.

Perplexity on iPhone: Already Out-Siri-ing Siri

Here’s the kicker though: Perplexity’s assistant is already on iPhones. And despite the OS’s famously tight sandboxing, it’s surprisingly capable.

What it can do:

  • Hold multi-turn conversations via voice.
  • Create reminders, calendar events, and emails natively.
  • Launch apps like Uber or OpenTable with pre-filled data.
  • Play music, find directions, draft texts.
  • Run in the background and integrate with iOS Shortcuts.

What it can’t do (yet):

  • Control system settings (like Do Not Disturb or camera).
  • Set alarms or toggle features.
  • Access the camera for visual input.

Still, it’s impressive for a third-party app—and frankly, it’s already offering Siri-like functionality without Apple’s backing. If Apple brings this team into the fold? Game over.

The New Assistant Showdown

Here’s how things could line up in 2026 if Apple pulls the trigger:

Assistant AI Engine Strengths
Siri (2025) Apple Intelligence Summarisation, image tools, privacy-first, but still limited
Alexa+ Claude (Anthropic) Conversational, proactive, great smart home integration
Google Assistant (Gemini) Gemini AI Unified cross-device experience, deep Google integration
Siri (with Perplexity) Perplexity AI Agentic workflows, real-time search, in-app action, multi-modal

Siri could finally become what Apple has always promised: an intelligent, helpful, context-aware assistant that actually gets things done.

Why This Would Rock the AI Landscape

This isn’t just about making Siri better. It’s about Apple entering a whole new phase of AI strategy—one that could shake up the current balance of power.

  • Google’s search dominance? Threatened. If Apple integrates Perplexity search into Safari, the ripple effects would be huge.
  • Amazon’s voice leadership? Challenged. Especially if Apple pushes deeper into smart homes.
  • Meta and OpenAI? Put on notice. Expect more partnerships and acquisitions in response.

Oh, and let’s not forget—Apple had reportedly already explored adding Perplexity as a default Safari search provider. This move might just be the natural evolution of that idea.

Some Risks Worth Mentioning

It’s not all upside, though. Integrating a fast-moving AI startup into Apple’s famously closed, cautious culture could be tricky. Perplexity’s legal issues around content usage also raise questions—especially as Apple positions itself as a privacy and copyright champion.

Still, these are solvable problems. And the upside? Tremendous.

Final Thoughts

Apple’s potential acquisition of Perplexity AI isn’t just a reaction to falling behind—it’s a signal that Apple is finally ready to compete on the front lines of AI.

If this goes through, we might look back on this as the turning point when Siri became smart, Safari became intelligent, and Apple reasserted itself as a true AI innovator—not just a platform, but a leader.

This isn’t just about catching up.
It’s about making sure no one else gets too far ahead.

Generative AI