This month, Perplexity AI launched Comet, its AI-powered web browser that intends to challenge Google Chrome’s 68% market share. Also, this month, rumours emerged that Apple is buying the company.
No doubt, Perplexity will shape AI’s future, but how?
In this article, I will explore why joining Apple is Perplexity’s best shot at shaping AI’s future, and why Apple needs to make this deal happen.
Apple’s AI Crisis: Perception, Product, Strategy
Already, Apple faces a trifecta of challenges that make Perplexity an irresistible target.
First, there’s a perception problem. Microsoft’s integration of OpenAI’s tech has added over $1 trillion to its market cap since 2023, recasting it as an AI leader. Apple, despite its $3.5 trillion valuation, is seen as lagging, with WWDC 2025 offering iterative updates but no game-changing AI breakthrough. Investors are restless, questioning if Apple’s innovation engine has stalled.
Second, there’s a product problem. Siri, once a pioneer, now falters against ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Perplexity’s conversational AI. A 2024 user survey found 62% of iPhone owners rarely use Siri for complex tasks, citing its inability to handle nuanced queries like summarizing documents or planning trips. This gap risks making Apple’s hardware feel outdated.
Finally, a strategic problem: Apple’s privacy-first, on-device AI approach limits its access to the vast datasets fueling competitors’ cloud-based models. Perplexity, with its sophisticated AI trained on public web data, offers a shortcut to world-class AI expertise without compromising Apple’s privacy ethos, as its models can be adapted for on-device processing.
Perplexity’s Edge: Redefining the User Experience
Perplexity’s strength lies in its user experience, not just its tech. Unlike Google search, Perplexity delivers synthesized, cited answers, prioritizing clarity. Its newly launched browser, Comet takes this further, transforming browsing into an AI-driven experience. TechCrunch called Comet “a glimpse into a post-Chrome world,” positioning it against rivals like Arc, which blends browsing and productivity, and Anthropic’s Claude, which powers conversational AI.
The Synthesis: What an Apple-Perplexity Future Looks Like
If a deal were to happen, how would Apple use its new prize?
Based on Apple’s history with acquisitions like Beats Audio (which retained its brand) and Dark Sky (which was fully absorbed), two paths emerge.
Scenario A.
In this version, Perplexity’s technology is used to supercharge Siri and Apple Search behind the scenes. The Perplexity brand is sunsetted, and its team is integrated into Apple’s existing AI/ML divisions. This is the safe, incremental play—a much-needed upgrade to existing services, but one that falls short of a true paradigm shift.
Scenario B.
This is the move that could redefine the next decade. Instead of just a better Siri, Perplexity becomes a native OS-layer, creating a true “answer-first” operating system. The grid of apps becomes secondary to a conversational interface that can understand complex requests—planning trips, summarizing meetings, drafting emails—by synthesizing information from the web, your apps, and your data.
I hope Tim Cook and Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas make this deal to happen. Fingers crossed.