Perplexity AI submits bid to merge with TikTok

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With TikTok banned in the USA, Perplexity AI is the newest bidder hoping to present the video app a brand new company house.

CNBC first reported Perplexity’s curiosity. A supply with data of the providing confirmed to TechCrunch that Perplexity (pictured above with CEO Arvind Srinivas) has submitted a bid to merge with TikTok US.

The supply additionally confirmed different particulars concerning the bid — that it will mix Perplexity, TikTok US, and new fairness companions to create a brand new entity. That almost all buyers in TikTok’s mother or father firm ByteDance will be capable to retain their fairness. And with that integration, Perplexity hopes to carry extra video to its AI search engine.

A regulation requiring ByteDance to promote TikTok or ban it within the US is ready to enter impact on Sunday, January 19. This can be President Joe Biden’s final day in workplace, and his administration officers have stated it’s going to go away the unique. The ban can be enforced “till the following administration”.

In the meantime, President-elect Donald Trump, who can be inaugurated on Monday, stated he would “most definitely” give TikTok a 90-day extension, and TikTok’s CEO launched a video thanking Trump for his efforts. posted

Nonetheless, TikTok stated Sunday could be “compelled to go darkish” with out extra clear assurances of non-enforcement from the Biden administration.

Regardless of a number of consumers expressing curiosity in TikTok, ByteDance has repeatedly stated it has no plans to promote. (The corporate described a report that the Chinese language authorities was open to buying Elon Musk as “pure fiction.”) CNBC studies that Perplexity is hoping to deal with these considerations by proposing a merger quite than a sale. can take away

TechCrunch has reached out to TikTok and Perplexity AI for remark.

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