Apple’s AI push may soon take a bold turn. According to a report by The Information, Apple has considered acquiring major AI startups. These include Mistral AI and Perplexity, both seen as fast-growing players in the artificial intelligence space.
Apple’s AI push comes amid growing pressure to match rivals. Microsoft supports OpenAI, while Google continues expanding Gemini. Meanwhile, Apple Intelligence remains more limited. As a result, Apple is exploring other ways to strengthen its capabilities quickly.
Sources say Apple Services chief Eddy Cue led talks about possible acquisitions. Cue has long supported bold moves. He previously suggested buying Netflix and Tesla. However, Apple CEO Tim Cook rejected those ideas. The same internal hesitation seems to exist now. Other top Apple executives prefer building AI models internally.
Mistral AI, founded in 2023, is a French startup with open-weight language models. These models aim to compete with ChatGPT and others. Mistral also has strong backing from Nvidia. Its most recent valuation stands at $6 billion.
Perplexity, led by former OpenAI scientist Aravind Srinivas, is worth about $18 billion. This startup has support from both Nvidia and Amazon. However, the company has denied any knowledge of Apple’s acquisition interest.
Apple’s AI push has also involved partnerships. Reports suggest Apple may team up with Google to enhance Apple Intelligence. Talks center on using a custom Gemini-based model. This model would reportedly run on Apple’s own servers. Neither company has confirmed these discussions.
Siri already uses OpenAI’s ChatGPT for some tasks. But Apple may still develop its own in-house solution. For now, it seems Apple remains undecided.
Apple rarely makes large acquisitions. Its biggest so far include Beats for $3 billion and Intel’s modem division for $1 billion. Buying Perplexity or Mistral would require much bigger investments.
Despite concerns from some executives, Apple’s AI push continues. Whether by building or buying, Apple seems determined to stay in the AI race. The coming months will show if this push turns into real progress.
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