Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent investment activities of celebrities in the AI sector, highlighting the significant moves made by singer G.E.M. and football star Cristiano Ronaldo, particularly focusing on Ronaldo's investment in Perplexity AI, a rapidly growing AI search engine valued at $20 billion [5][9][12]. Group 1: Celebrity Investments in AI - G.E.M. revealed that her investment in an AI company made in 2019 has yielded a tenfold return, showcasing her successful foray into the tech sector [8]. - Cristiano Ronaldo has publicly entered the tech field by investing in Perplexity AI and becoming its global brand ambassador, marking a shift from his previous investments in traditional industries [6][9]. Group 2: Perplexity AI Overview - Perplexity AI, founded in 2022, has quickly risen to prominence, achieving a valuation of $20 billion within three years, a remarkable feat in the tech startup landscape [9][12]. - The company has attracted investments from notable figures in the tech industry, including Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, indicating its strong market potential and innovative value [12]. Group 3: Investment Growth and Strategy - Perplexity AI's funding history includes a seed round of $3.1 million in September 2022, followed by a Series A round of $25.6 million in March 2023, and subsequent rounds that significantly increased its valuation [12]. - The company’s ambitious plans include a $34.5 billion acquisition offer for Google's Chrome browser, reflecting its bold aspirations and the competitive landscape of the tech industry [13]. Group 4: Ronaldo's Wealth and Investment Strategy - Ronaldo's net worth has reached approximately $1.4 billion, making him the first football player to surpass the $1 billion mark, with income derived from football salaries, endorsements, and investments [14]. - His investment portfolio has diversified from traditional sectors to include technology, as evidenced by his recent investment in Perplexity AI, indicating a strategic shift towards high-growth potential areas [15][16]. Group 5: Strategic Collaboration - The partnership between Ronaldo and Perplexity AI aims to leverage his global influence to expand the company's user base, particularly in emerging markets [16]. - The collaboration will feature a dedicated "Cristiano Ronaldo Interactive Zone" on the Perplexity platform, enhancing fan engagement through AI technology [16].

Core Insights - The article highlights the increasing interest of celebrities in investing in the AI sector, specifically focusing on singer G.E.M. and football star Cristiano Ronaldo as notable examples of successful investments in this field [1][2]. Group 1: Celebrity Investments in AI - G.E.M. revealed that her investment in an AI company made in 2019 has yielded a tenfold return as of August 2025, showcasing her proactive approach through extensive research before investing [1]. - Cristiano Ronaldo has recently entered the tech space by investing in the AI search engine Perplexity AI and becoming its global brand ambassador, marking a shift from his previous investments in traditional industries [2][7]. Group 2: Perplexity AI Overview - Perplexity AI, founded by three individuals in their 20s, has rapidly grown to a valuation of $20 billion within three years, demonstrating an exceptional growth trajectory in the tech startup landscape [3][4]. - The company has attracted significant investments from high-profile investors, including Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, indicating its strong market potential and innovative value in the AI search domain [4]. Group 3: Financial Performance and Growth - Perplexity AI's funding history includes a seed round of $3.1 million in September 2022, followed by a Series A round of $25.6 million in March 2023, and subsequent rounds leading to its current valuation of $20 billion [3][4]. - The company made headlines in 2025 by proposing a $34.5 billion cash acquisition of Google's Chrome browser, reflecting its ambitious growth strategy and market aspirations [5]. Group 4: Ronaldo's Investment Strategy - Ronaldo's investment strategy has evolved from traditional sectors to high-growth areas like AI, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and innovation in his investment choices [7][8]. - The partnership with Perplexity AI not only aims to enhance user engagement through a dedicated "Ronaldo Interactive Zone" but also signifies a strategic move towards digital transformation of his personal brand [8].

Core Insights - Cristiano Ronaldo has officially invested in the American AI startup Perplexity AI, becoming one of its shareholders, which has attracted global attention to the previously low-profile company [1] - Perplexity AI has emerged as a key player in the AI user competition in India, alongside industry giants like OpenAI and Google, showcasing its technological strength and market competitiveness [4][6] - The company aims to combine traditional search indexing with large language model reasoning capabilities to provide accurate, up-to-date, and verifiable information [9][10] Company Background - Perplexity AI was founded in 2022 by a team of former researchers from OpenAI, Facebook AI Research, and Quora, with the goal of improving search experiences that are often cluttered with ads and low-quality links [6][9] - The first product, Perplexity Ask, was launched in December 2022, integrating GPT-3.5 and Microsoft Bing technology to provide structured answers with source links, achieving over 10 million monthly visits early in 2023 [9][10] Product Development and Strategy - In 2024, Perplexity AI shifted its focus towards becoming an AI agent, aiming to actively assist users in completing specific tasks rather than just providing information [13][14] - The launch of the native AI browser Comet in July 2025 marked a significant step in its AI agent strategy, with a valuation increase from slightly over $500 million to $20 billion in less than two years [16][19] Market Position and Challenges - Despite rapid growth, Perplexity faces challenges in its business model, relying solely on subscription revenue without advertising, leading to low average revenue per user (ARPU) [19][21] - The company is exploring new avenues, such as the AI-driven patent search agent and an agentic commerce model, which aims to revolutionize the shopping experience by allowing AI to complete purchases on behalf of users [24][26] Future Outlook - The agentic AI trend represents a significant leap in AI technology and market potential, although challenges such as user trust and existing e-commerce dependencies remain [27]

Core Viewpoint - The investment by football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the AI unicorn Perplexity AI signifies a strategic partnership that merges sports celebrity influence with cutting-edge technology, aiming to challenge established giants like Google [1][15]. Group 1: Investment Overview - Cristiano Ronaldo announced his investment in Perplexity AI, a startup valued at $20 billion as of September 2025, which is recognized as a potential challenger to Google [2]. - The specific amount of Ronaldo's investment remains undisclosed, but its symbolic significance is substantial [2]. Group 2: Perplexity AI's Position - Perplexity AI, founded in 2022, aims to redefine search engines by eliminating advertisements and providing direct answers, positioning itself as an "answer engine" rather than a traditional search engine [9][10]. - The company has gained significant backing from notable investors, including Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, highlighting its potential in the tech landscape [1][9]. Group 3: Strategic Benefits of the Partnership - Ronaldo's global social media following of over 1 billion provides Perplexity with access to underpenetrated markets in the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe, which are seen as "blue ocean markets" for AI search [5]. - The collaboration will feature a "Cristiano Ronaldo Interactive Zone" on Perplexity's platform, allowing fans to engage with personalized content generated by AI [3]. Group 4: Challenges Faced by Perplexity AI - Despite its technological strengths, Perplexity faces challenges in user adoption, primarily due to its current user base being predominantly tech-savvy individuals, which limits its reach to the broader market [4]. - The company has encountered fierce competition from tech giants like Google and OpenAI, which have rapidly replicated its features [10][11]. Group 5: Founder's Vision and Company Resilience - Aravind Srinivas, the founder of Perplexity, has a prestigious background and aims to disrupt the search engine market by focusing on user needs rather than advertising revenue [7][9]. - The company has shown resilience in the face of adversity, including rejecting acquisition offers and continuing to innovate despite significant competition [12][13].

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the remarkable journey of Perplexity, an AI unicorn founded by Aravind Srinivas and his partners, achieving a valuation of $130 billion in just three years, despite facing significant challenges from larger tech companies [1][3][22]. Group 1: Company Overview - Perplexity was founded in 2022 and has completed eight rounds of financing, with a total funding amount exceeding $100 million [5][20]. - The company recently raised $100 million at a valuation of $18 billion (approximately 130 billion RMB) [3][5]. - Perplexity's annual recurring revenue (ARR) is slightly below $100 million, leading to a valuation multiple of 180 times revenue, significantly higher than the industry average for AI startups [5][19]. Group 2: Product Development - The first product, Bird SQL, was launched in December 2022, aimed at transforming Twitter user queries into SQL statements [11][19]. - Following the success of Bird SQL, Perplexity released Perplexity Ask, the world's first conversational search engine, in January 2023, achieving 2 million active users within four months [13][19]. - The company faced challenges when Twitter discontinued its free API service, leading to a pivot towards creating a "question-and-answer information platform" [19][20]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Major tech companies like Google and Apple have shown interest in acquiring Perplexity, indicating its strong market position [6][19]. - Perplexity's founders have expressed concerns about larger companies copying their innovations, which has fueled their drive to succeed [2][22]. - The competitive environment intensified with the launch of similar features by Google Bard and ChatGPT, prompting Perplexity to focus on developing its own large language model (LLM) [19][20]. Group 4: Founders' Background - Aravind Srinivas, born in Chennai, India, pursued a career in tech, working at Google and OpenAI before founding Perplexity [9][10]. - The founding team consists of three individuals in their 20s, who aimed to create a user-centric search engine leveraging AI technology [10][11]. - The name "Perplexity" reflects a key concept in AI, representing the model's ability to predict text accurately [15].