Official statements from the President-elect or credible news sources

Perplexity AI Proposes Merger With TikTok U.S., Valued Over $50 Billion, Amid Potential Ban

Jan 18, 2025, 08:31 PM

Perplexity AI has submitted a bid to merge with TikTok's U.S. operations, proposing the creation of a new entity that would combine Perplexity, TikTok U.S., and new capital partners. The bid comes as TikTok faces a potential ban in the U.S. set to take effect on January 19, unless ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, divests or the ban is delayed. The proposed merger structure would allow most of ByteDance's existing investors to retain their equity stakes and aims to enhance Perplexity's offerings with more video content. President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he may grant TikTok a 90-day extension to finalize a deal after his inauguration on Monday. The bid is estimated to value TikTok U.S. at over $50 billion.