AI-powered search startup Perplexity is alleged to be in early talks to lift as much as $1 billion in a brand new funding spherical valuing the startup at $18 billion.
Bloomberg, citing an individual conversant in the matter, reported on Thursday that Perplexity’s annual recurring income has now reached $100 million.
Perplexity’s valuation has soared in recent times. This new spherical would double Perplexity’s present valuation — $9 billion — as of December. In April 2024, Perplexity was valued at $1 billion.
Rumors of a brand new spherical come as competitors within the AI-powered search house heats up.
On Thursday, Anthropic added net search to its client AI chatbot, Claude. Earlier in March, Google launched an early model of a chat-based AI search engine, referred to as AI Mode, for a bunch of restricted group of testers.
Maybe as a result of its core market is turning into more and more crowded, Perplexity is attempting to increase into new areas. The startup not too long ago teased the launch of an “agentic” browser referred to as Comet, and it has ramped up its enterprise choices, not too long ago launching an AI search engine to assist companies retrieve info from inside paperwork.
We’ve reached out to Perplexity for touch upon the fundraising rumors and can replace this publish if we hear again.
