Artificial intelligence startup Perplexity has expressed interest in acquiring TikTok, with plans to rebuild the platform’s recommendation algorithm from scratch and make it open-source. In a blog post, Perplexity outlined its vision for merging its AI-driven search capabilities with TikTok’s vast video library, positioning itself as the ideal company to revamp TikTok’s algorithm while preserving competition in the short-video market.
This development comes amid ongoing uncertainty over TikTok’s future in the US, as a law passed earlier this year mandates the app be sold or banned due to national security concerns. President Donald Trump confirmed multiple parties are interested in acquiring TikTok, including Perplexity, Microsoft, Oracle, and a consortium backed by tycoon Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty.
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Perplexity has warned that an acquisition by major competitors could lead to monopolization of the short-form video space. The startup proposed creating US-based data infrastructure for TikTok and making the platform’s algorithm publicly available, increasing transparency in how content is recommended.
TikTok’s future remains uncertain as ByteDance has resisted similar efforts in the past, but with regulatory pressure mounting, a sale may be looming.
