(Reuters) – Perplexity AI requested TikTok’s Chinese language mother or father firm, ByteDance, on Saturday to permit the U.S. search engine startup to merge with TikTok U.S. and create a brand new entity combining them and New Capital Companions (WA:), CNBC reported.
TikTok faces a U.S. ban beginning on Sunday if it doesn’t minimize ties with ByteDance, though President-elect Donald Trump stated on Saturday he would doubtless give the short-video social-media platform a 90-day reprieve on Monday.
The brand new construction proposed by Perplexity would enable for many of ByteDance’s current buyers to retain their fairness stakes and would deliver extra video to Perplexity, the report stated, citing an unnamed supply accustomed to the state of affairs.
Perplexity AI and TikTok didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. New Capital Companions couldn’t be instantly reached.
Perplexity AI believes its bid could succeed because the proposal is a merger slightly than a sale, the report added.
Perplexity AI’s search instruments allow customers to get quick solutions to questions, with sources and citations. It’s powered by giant language fashions that may sum up and generate data, from OpenAI to Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:)’ open-source mannequin Llama.
TikTok, which has captivated practically half of all People, powered small companies and formed on-line tradition, stated on Friday it is going to go darkish within the U.S. on Sunday except President Joe Biden’s administration supplies assurances to firms akin to Apple (NASDAQ:) and Google (NASDAQ:) that they won’t face enforcement actions when a ban takes impact.
