Perplexity wants to buy TikTok and open-source its algorithm

The AI search startup Perplexity just proposed a bid for acquiring (and transforming) TikTok, per a company blog post published Friday.

“Perplexity is singularly positioned to rebuild the TikTok algorithm without creating a monopoly, combining world-class technical capabilities with Little Tech independence,” the company wrote.

They claim they’re uniquely positioned to do this “without creating a monopoly,” unlike potential acquisitions by competitors or investor consortiums that might maintain ByteDance’s influence. The plan includes:

1. Rebuilding TikTok’s algorithm from scratch “in American data centers with American oversight”
2. Making the recommendation system “transparent” and open source
3. Upgrading the AI infrastructure using Nvidia Dynamo technology
4. Adding citation capabilities to videos similar to Perplexity’s existing features
5. Integrating Perplexity’s search capabilities with TikTok’s video library
6. Enhancing personalization for users who connect Perplexity and TikTok accounts (which, the startup claims, “could help surface more relevant content on TikTok”)
7. Adding multilingual capabilities through automatic translation

ByteDance, the …

Read the full story at The Verge.