What major change did Perplexity propose if it buys TikTok?
AI startup Perplexity has officially expressed interest in acquiring TikTok, which faces a U.S. ban unless it separates from its Chinese owner, ByteDance.
In a bold blog post, the San Francisco–based company outlined a vision to merge its AI-powered search engine with TikTok’s vast video library — aiming to create “the best search experience in the world.”
Perplexity claims it is uniquely positioned to rebuild TikTok’s algorithm from scratch, without creating a monopoly — unlike tech giants like Microsoft or Oracle, also eyeing the platform.
“Society benefits when content feeds are liberated from foreign manipulation and monopolies,” the company wrote.
They also propose to make TikTok’s “For You” feed open-source, host the platform entirely on U.S. infrastructure, and allow users to fact-check videos in real time.
Meanwhile, Trump has confirmed that four groups are in talks to buy TikTok — including one led by YouTuber MrBeast, and another by billionaire Frank McCourt.
