Perplexity Acquires Carbon to Enhance AI Search
Perplexity AI has acquired Carbon, a Seattle-based startup specializing in Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). This technology allows large language models (LLMs) to access and process information from external databases, improving the accuracy and relevance of generated responses. This acquisition will enable Perplexity to connect its AI systems to various data sources, including Notion, Google Docs, Slack, and other enterprise applications.
The integration of Carbon's technology is expected to enhance Perplexity's answer engine by allowing it to draw upon diverse information sources, regardless of whether the data is stored in internal databases, cloud storage, or document repositories. This move positions Perplexity to enter the competitive enterprise AI search market, where companies like Glean are already established. See how this relates to the latest Gemini app updates.
This acquisition marks Perplexity's second, following its 2023 acquisition of Spellwise, which contributed to the development of Perplexity's mobile app. The move towards enterprise search puts Perplexity in direct competition with major players like OpenAI and Google, who are also developing similar products. For more on this trend, check out discussions on AI deception during training.
With the anticipated launch in early 2025, Perplexity aims to empower users to search through their files and work messages seamlessly across various platforms. This functionality will be particularly valuable for businesses seeking efficient ways to navigate large volumes of unstructured data. This development aligns with broader industry trends, such as those seen with ChatGPT's availability by phone and WhatsApp.