Apple’s Quiet Talks With Perplexity AI Stir Unease at Samsung

A hot AI search startup is suddenly caught in the middle of a high-stakes tug-of-war between tech giants. One is handing it to users. The other might just buy it.

Samsung has been counting on Perplexity AI to become a key piece in its mobile AI puzzle. Now, Apple might just swoop in and take it off the board.

A string of meetings between Apple execs and Perplexity AI’s leadership is setting off alarms in Seoul and Silicon Valley alike, raising the prospect that Apple could buy one of the most-hyped AI startups — possibly before Samsung has a chance to lock in deeper ties.

A Shot at an AI-Powered Search Future

The whisper of a deal started small. But Bloomberg’s report this week added fuel to a rumor that’s been flickering since early spring.

Apple, which has been methodical — some say too slow — in its public AI rollout, is apparently weighing whether to buy Perplexity outright. No bid on the table yet, but insiders say meetings have been held. Apple’s M&A chief Adrian Perica, the same man behind its Shazam and Beats pickups, is said to be talking internally with Eddy Cue and other senior execs about the idea.

The motivation? It’s about talent, obviously. But more than that, it’s about search.

Perplexity AI, often called a “ChatGPT for search,” offers a more conversational way to get results. Think real-time answers, cleaner citations, and a Google alternative that actually feels modern. Apple, which still leans on Google for default search across its devices, has long sought an escape hatch from that $18 billion dependence.

So yeah, this isn’t just about AI. It’s about the future of how we find stuff.

Samsung Had First Dibs — Or So It Thought

Samsung might not have expected this twist.

Over the past several months, Samsung’s been quietly experimenting with integrating Perplexity into its Galaxy devices. U.S. customers are already getting a taste — a year of Perplexity Pro, normally a $200 subscription, is now included for free with select Galaxy models.

Sources familiar with Samsung’s internal plans say the company sees Perplexity as a possible backbone for a broader Galaxy AI push. Not just for search — but maybe even as a full-on AI assistant. The idea? Let users ask natural questions and get real-time answers without bouncing over to Google or Samsung’s own Bixby, which, frankly, hasn’t thrilled users in years.

This context is what makes the Apple rumors sting.

Because while Samsung is still mulling how far it wants to go with Perplexity — partner, invest, maybe license deeper APIs — Apple may just snatch the whole thing away.

No Bids Yet, But the Stakes Are Real

Perplexity hasn’t confirmed any of this publicly. And Apple? They’re doing what they always do — saying nothing. But if the deal chatter is even half-true, the tension is real.

One reason? Timing.

• Apple just launched Apple Intelligence at WWDC earlier this month.

• It also inked a high-profile partnership with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to Siri.

• But it needs a native search tool that isn’t OpenAI or Google.

This makes Perplexity an unusually strategic pickup. Its engineering team, led by CEO Aravind Srinivas, is full of ex-OpenAI, Meta, and Google Brain talent. Their user base is surging. And with a clean, ad-free experience, it fits the Apple brand like a glove.

Samsung’s Options Are Narrowing

There are only a few ways this can go for Samsung.

1. Outbid Apple. Easier said than done. Apple has more cash and usually pays in full, no nonsense.

2. Lock in a long-term exclusivity deal with Perplexity fast. That could block or delay an acquisition — but Perplexity would have to want that.

3. Find another AI partner, quickly. But who? OpenAI is married to Microsoft. Anthropic? Maybe. But nothing fits quite like Perplexity right now.

The last option? Hope Apple backs out. That’s still possible.

One source familiar with Apple’s thinking told Bloomberg that talks are “exploratory” and could easily fizzle out. Apple is famously picky, especially with acquisitions. They prefer tech and teams they can fold into their culture quietly, without disruption. So if Perplexity wants to stay independent or go big on its own, it could simply walk away.

Still, you can sense the urgency building at Samsung.

What Perplexity Gains — and Risks — from Apple

For Perplexity, Apple’s interest is flattering — but not necessarily simple.

Sure, joining Apple would mean world-class distribution. The app could be embedded across billions of devices. That’s powerful.

But Apple likes control. Really tight control. Perplexity’s team is known for iterating fast, pushing updates every week, and staying open about its sources. Apple might not let them move with the same speed or openness.

There’s also the matter of Perplexity’s current users. A good portion of them are on Android. Locking the company into the Apple universe could limit its market.

Still, the money talks. If Apple puts up billions — Perplexity was last valued at around $520 million — that’s hard to ignore.

Table: Key AI Assistants Compared

Samsung had its eyes on Perplexity for one reason: freedom. From Google, from Bixby, from the AI arms race they weren’t leading but didn’t want to lose.

Now, it may have to fight Apple to keep that freedom alive.