Apple is again linked to possible acquisitions of Perplexity and French startup Mistral, two firms seen as potential boosts to its AI strategy. Their names surface repeatedly as Apple’s leadership weighs how to strengthen its artificial intelligence efforts, especially with the company’s reliance on Google Search under pressure from an upcoming court ruling.
Eddy Cue vs. Internal Resistance
The Information reports that Apple has told bankers it remains committed to smaller AI acquisitions. This follows Tim Cook’s recent statement that the company is “very open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap.” Despite this, senior leaders remain divided on how aggressive Apple should be in pursuing major deals.
According to The Information, Eddy Cue is one of the most outspoken executives in favor of acquisitions. The report cites a person familiar with his thinking who said Cue previously backed large-scale deals for Netflix and Tesla, both of which Tim Cook rejected. Cue is now seen as pushing hardest for Apple to look beyond incremental acquisitions in AI.
The same report highlights Craig Federighi as taking a different stance. He has reportedly resisted big-ticket AI purchases, arguing that Apple’s engineering teams can build the necessary tools internally. This internal debate shapes how the company positions itself in a fast-moving market defined by partnerships and rapid advancements from rivals.
The Information also details Apple’s broader acquisition strategy. The company maintains a reputation for avoiding overpayment, favoring smaller, targeted buys over headline-making mergers. That stance remains a central factor in whether Apple ultimately moves forward on Perplexity or Mistral.
Neither company is new to Apple’s radar. Perplexity specializes in AI-driven search using models from providers such as OpenAI. Mistral develops its own models and systems, positioning itself as a smaller but technically ambitious player in the field.
Bloomberg previously reported that Apple is running internal tests of in-house models against offerings from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google as part of its Siri revamp. That competition underscores Apple’s current strategy of weighing outside partnerships against its own AI development.
