Apple has reportedly held internal discussions about acquiring French artificial intelligence startup Mistral and U.S.-based Perplexity, according to The Information. The move signals the iPhone maker’s growing interest in expanding its footprint in AI, an area where it has lagged behind competitors such as Google and Samsung in terms of integrating advanced features into consumer devices.
Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook had hinted last month that Apple was open to making larger AI-related acquisitions, a notable shift from its traditionally cautious approach to mergers and acquisitions. The reported talks reflect Apple’s intention to speed up its AI roadmap amid intensifying competition in the sector.
Mistral, backed by chip giant Nvidia, was valued at more than $6 billion after its Series B funding round last year. The Financial Times recently reported that the French firm is in discussions to raise $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation. Perplexity, backed by Nvidia and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has also attracted interest from Apple, with Bloomberg News earlier this year reporting possible bidding considerations.
While the talks remain internal and no official confirmation has been made, the potential acquisitions underscore Apple’s urgency to bolster its AI capabilities. Reuters noted that Apple, Mistral, and Perplexity did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.