Perplexity AI Secures $100 Million Funding, Reaching $18 Billion Valuation

AI Startup Perplexity Valued at $18 Billion With New Funding

Perplexity AI Inc., whose artificial intelligence-powered search engine competes with Google, has raised fresh capital in a deal that values the startup at $18 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company brought in $100 million with the financing, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The deal is an extension of a previous round from a few months ago that valued the company at $14 billion, the person said -- investments that underscore the Silicon Valley rush to back the top AI startups.

Perplexity AI Valued at $18 Bn After Latest Funding Deal | AIM

Perplexity AI has raised $100 million in a funding deal that values the company at $18 billion. Perplexity AI has secured additional funding in a deal that values the company at $18 billion, according to a Bloomberg report. According to the report, the company has raised $100 million through this financing. This deal is an extension of a previous funding round from a few months prior, which estimated the company's worth at $14 billion, highlighting the competitive landscape in Silicon Valley, where investing in leading AI startups is a focus. Initially, Perplexity sought an $18 billion valuation during the May funding round but encountered pushback from investors. However, after the close of that round, new investors reached out to the company and were informed they could acquire equity at an $18 billion valuation, Bloomberg reported. The three-year-old company is positioning itself to challenge Google's supremacy in internet search and has recently introduced a browser alongside its AI-fueled search engine. According to the Financial Times, Perplexity has been frequently speculated to be a potential acquisition target, as major tech companies like Apple and Meta aim to gain an edge over competitors such as Google and OpenAI. However, CEO Aravind Srinivas has consistently stated his desire to take the company public. Several competing AI startups experiencing similar growth patterns have recently formed partnerships with big tech firms. These deals, including Meta's $15 billion investment in Scale AI last month and Google's $2.4 billion agreement to hire leaders from coding startup Windsurf, have created new exit paths for startup founders. In India, Airtel, one of the leading telecom providers, is offering a free one-year Perplexity Pro plan through the Airtel Thanks app on smartphones.

Startup Perplexity AI hits $18 billion valuation after $100 million funding round - The Economic Times

The company raised $100 million in this latest investment, which builds on a previous round from a few months ago that valued Perplexity at $14 billion.The growing adoption of chatbots and the rise of AI agents have increased investor enthusiasm in such startups.Perplexity AI has secured fresh funding in a deal that values the artificial intelligence startup at $18 billion, according to a report by Bloomberg. The company raised $100 million in this latest investment, which builds on a previous round from a few months ago that valued Perplexity at $14 billion. The growing adoption of chatbots and the rise of AI agents have increased investor enthusiasm in such startups. Back in May, The Wall Street Journal reported that Perplexity was in advanced discussions to raise $500 million at a $14 billion valuation, with venture capital firm Accel expected to lead the round. In March, too, there were reports that the company was in talks to secure between $500 million and $1 billion, aiming for an $18 billion valuation. Last week, the Nvidia-backed company launched 'Comet', a new web browser featuring AI-powered search tools, as part of its effort to take on the dominance of Alphabet's Google Chrome.

Perplexity AI Hits $18 Billion Valuation in Latest Funding Round | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Founded in 2022, Perplexity has rapidly scaled, tripling its valuation several times over the past year. It has also been the source of reports that Apple is interested in acquiring the company. The firm had initially targeted an $18 billion valuation in March 2025 but settled for a smaller round at $14 billion before this latest infusion brought it back to its original goal. The move signals robust investor interest in the competitive AI search space as incumbents and new entrants alike race to develop advanced generative models for internet search and discovery. As Bloomberg details, "The company brought in $100 million with the financing, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The deal is an extension of a previous round from a few months ago that valued the company at $14 billion, the person said -- investments that underscore the Silicon Valley rush to back the top AI startups." Most recently PYMNTS covered Perplexity's launch of a $200-a-month or $2,000-a-year subscription tier called Perplexity Max. The new subscription plan, announced July 2, includes all the features of the $20-a-month or $200-a-year Perplexity Pro and adds unlimited access to artificial intelligence (AI) models in Perplexity Research and Labs, unlimited queries to its Perplexity Labs productivity tool, early access to new products and features, and priority support, according to a Perplexity help center page. Apple has reportedly held in-house talks about acquiring Perplexity AI. That's according to a report Friday (June 20) by Bloomberg News, which points out that such a purchase would help Apple meet its need for AI technology and expertise. Sources told Bloomberg that Adrian Perica, the company's head of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), has discussed the idea with services chief Eddy Cue and key AI decision-makers. The talks are in their early stages and might not yield an offer, the sources added. As the report noted, an acquisition would allow Apple to build an AI-based search engine as it faces the possible loss of its years long deal with Google, which made that company the default search on Apple devices.