Perplexity AI, a rapidly growing artificial intelligence startup, has recently come under scrutiny for its web scraping practices, casting a shadow over its potential acquisition by tech giant Apple. The company’s methods of data collection have sparked debates about ethical standards and compliance with internet protocols, raising questions about its suitability as a strategic partner for Apple.
Background on Perplexity AI
Founded in 2022 by Aravind Srinivas, Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, Perplexity AI has quickly established itself as a significant player in the AI-driven search engine market. The platform utilizes large language models to process user queries, delivering synthesized responses based on real-time web content. This approach allows users to engage in conversational searches, with the system providing contextual answers supported by citations from various internet sources.
The company’s innovative approach has attracted substantial investment, culminating in a valuation of $14 billion as of June 2025. Perplexity’s rapid growth and technological advancements have positioned it as a potential acquisition target for major tech companies seeking to bolster their AI capabilities.
Apple’s Interest in Perplexity
Apple has been actively exploring avenues to enhance its artificial intelligence offerings, particularly in response to advancements made by competitors like Google and Microsoft. CEO Tim Cook has publicly expressed the company’s commitment to expanding its AI capabilities, including the possibility of acquiring established AI firms to accelerate this process. In this context, Perplexity emerged as a potential acquisition target, offering Apple an opportunity to integrate advanced AI-driven search functionalities into its ecosystem.
Reports indicate that Apple executives, including mergers and acquisitions lead Adrian Perica and services chief Eddy Cue, have engaged in internal discussions about the feasibility of acquiring Perplexity. Such a move would represent Apple’s largest acquisition to date, surpassing its $3 billion purchase of Beats Electronics in 2014. The integration of Perplexity’s technology could potentially revitalize Apple’s Siri and Spotlight features, providing more sophisticated and contextually relevant search capabilities.
Controversies Surrounding Perplexity’s Data Practices
Despite its technological prowess, Perplexity has faced mounting criticism over its data collection methods, particularly concerning its adherence to the Robots Exclusion Protocol (robots.txt). This protocol allows website administrators to control and restrict automated access to their content by web crawlers. Allegations have surfaced that Perplexity’s web crawlers have been accessing content from websites that have explicitly prohibited such activities.
In June 2024, media outlets like Wired reported that Perplexity’s crawlers were disregarding the directives specified in robots.txt files, effectively bypassing restrictions set by website owners. Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, responded by attributing these actions to third-party web crawling vendors and suggested that there was a misunderstanding regarding the company’s data collection practices.
However, subsequent investigations have indicated that Perplexity’s own crawlers have been involved in these activities. Cloudflare, a leading web infrastructure and security company, published a report highlighting that Perplexity employs both its declared user-agent and an undeclared crawler designed to mimic a standard Google Chrome browser on macOS. This undeclared crawler reportedly accesses content in violation of established web crawling norms, even when explicit instructions are in place to prevent such access.
The report further noted that Perplexity’s undeclared crawler utilizes a headless browser, a tool that allows for automated web browsing without a graphical user interface. This technique enables the crawler to interact with web pages in a manner similar to a human user, effectively circumventing measures intended to block automated access. Such practices have raised significant concerns about the company’s commitment to ethical data collection and respect for content creators’ rights.
Legal Challenges and Industry Backlash
Perplexity’s data collection methods have not only drawn criticism from media organizations but have also led to legal actions. Major publishers, including The New York Times, the BBC, and Dow Jones, have accused Perplexity of unauthorized content scraping and copyright infringement. These organizations allege that Perplexity has used their content without permission to train its AI models and generate responses, effectively profiting from their intellectual property without proper attribution or compensation.
In response to these allegations, Perplexity has maintained that its practices are in line with industry standards and that it aggregates information rather than plagiarizes it. The company has also expressed openness to revenue-sharing programs with publishers, aiming to address concerns about the use of proprietary content. However, these assurances have done little to quell the growing unease within the publishing industry regarding Perplexity’s data practices.
Implications for Apple’s Acquisition Plans
The controversies surrounding Perplexity’s web scraping practices present a significant dilemma for Apple as it considers the potential acquisition. Apple has long positioned itself as a champion of user privacy and ethical data practices, emphasizing transparency and respect for user data. Acquiring a company embroiled in allegations of unethical data collection could potentially tarnish Apple’s reputation and undermine its commitment to ethical standards.
Furthermore, integrating Perplexity’s technology into Apple’s ecosystem could expose the company to legal liabilities stemming from ongoing lawsuits and potential future claims related to copyright infringement and unauthorized data use. Such risks may outweigh the potential benefits of acquiring Perplexity’s AI capabilities, prompting Apple to reconsider or abandon the acquisition altogether.
Conclusion
While Perplexity AI offers advanced AI-driven search technologies that could enhance Apple’s product offerings, the company’s controversial data collection practices and the resulting legal challenges pose significant risks. As Apple continues to evaluate its options for expanding its AI capabilities, it must weigh the potential benefits of acquiring Perplexity against the ethical and legal implications associated with the company’s current practices. Maintaining its commitment to user privacy and ethical standards will be paramount as Apple navigates this complex decision.
