AI startup Perplexity is reportedly finalizing commitments from investors for a fresh $200 million funding round at a $20 billion valuation, according to The Information, citing a person familiar with the matter.
The report has not been independently verified by Reuters, and Perplexity did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A Fast-Rising AI Challenger
Founded by Aravind Srinivas, Perplexity has quickly positioned itself as one of the fastest-growing players in the AI ecosystem, with ambitions that extend beyond conversational AI. The startup is backed by Nvidia and has rolled out its AI browser Comet, which performs tasks on behalf of users, pushing the boundaries of traditional search and productivity.
Bold Market Moves
In August, Perplexity made headlines after placing a $34.5 billion unsolicited all-cash offer for Google’s Chrome browser—a valuation far higher than its own. While the bid was not successful, industry watchers noted the audacity of such a move from a young company, signaling its aggressive vision to compete with OpenAI, which is also developing its own AI-first browser.
Strategic Edge
With over three billion users worldwide, Chrome would have provided Perplexity instant scale. However, the company appears to be pursuing its growth through capital infusion and product expansion, positioning itself as a formidable competitor in AI-powered browsing and digital assistants.
Final Take
Perplexity’s latest raise, if confirmed, reflects investor confidence in the next wave of AI-native platforms challenging established Big Tech incumbents.
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