Perplexity AI, an artificial intelligence firm, has proposed a merger with TikTok U. S. in an effort to help the video-sharing platform avoid a ban in the United States, according to a report. This proposal, directed at TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance, seeks to combine Perplexity AI, TikTok U. S. , and new capital partners while allowing most investors in ByteDance to retain their equity stakes, as reported by CNBC, referencing a source close to the situation. In the previous year, Congress approved a ban on TikTok, which is set to take effect this Sunday unless ByteDance opts to sell the app. Despite the impending ban, the White House has indicated that President Biden will not take action to enforce it, while President-elect Trump has stated he would likely request a 90-day delay on the ban, a move permitted by law. Nonetheless, ByteDance mentioned on Saturday that it would "go dark" on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides "definitive" assurances against enforcing the ban. Perplexity AI is a startup specializing in AI-driven search engines, having launched last year, and is valued at approximately $9 billion, according to CNBC. The U. S. Supreme Court upheld the bipartisan legislation on Friday, citing national security concerns associated with TikTok's connections to China. Although ByteDance has indicated it may not sell TikTok, "Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary revealed on Fox News Friday that he has made a $20 billion cash bid for the platform. O'Leary stated, "There's a reason Congress submitted this order to the Supreme Court, and there's a reason they ruled in favor of it.

It's not worth the risk. Therefore, the logical solution is to sell it to an American syndicate as mandated by the order. " FOX Business has reached out to ByteDance and Perplexity AI for comments.