Apple may have remained silent on AI during its WWDC 2025 keynote, but behind the scenes, it’s actively exploring new developments in the space.
According to Bloomberg, Apple has initiated early internal discussions—led by its head of mergers and acquisitions—regarding a potential acquisition of Perplexity AI, the AI-driven search startup founded by Aravind Srinivas. Although no formal offer has been submitted, senior Apple executives have reportedly explored a range of strategic scenarios involving the company.
One scenario under consideration is a strategic partnership that would integrate Perplexity’s technology into iOS, powering a native AI-driven search experience. Another, more ambitious option is a complete acquisition, which would enable Apple to embed Perplexity’s AI capabilities directly into Siri or potentially support the development of a broader, Apple-controlled search platform.
The report also notes that acquiring Perplexity could give Apple a strategic fallback if its multibillion-dollar search deal with Google — worth billions annually to keep Chrome the default search engine on iOS — is forced to end by a court order.
Regardless of the outcome, any deal with Perplexity would represent a strategic boost for Apple, which continues to lag behind competitors like Google and Meta in the rapidly evolving AI space. At WWDC 2025, Apple once again declined to provide a firm timeline for the rollout of its much-anticipated Apple Intelligence update for Siri. According to circulating reports, the company may be significantly behind schedule, fueling growing skepticism about whether the revamped Siri will be ready before the end of the year.