According to Neowin, Snap and Perplexity are partnering to bring Perplexity’s AI-powered answer engine directly into Snapchat, marking the first large-scale integration of an external AI partner in the app. The deal involves Perplexity paying Snap $400 million over one year through cash and equity, with the integration set to begin early next year in the Chat interface. Snapchat’s nearly 1 billion monthly active users will be able to ask questions and get conversational answers with verifiable sources and citations. The existing My AI chatbot will remain available, while Perplexity will operate as a distinct answer engine focused on real-time information from credible sources. The payment is contingent upon achieving global rollout, and revenue from the partnership is expected to begin contributing in 2026.
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What this means for users
Here’s the thing – this isn’t just another chatbot. Perplexity is positioning itself as an “answer engine” rather than just a conversational AI. That means you’re supposed to get actual, citable information rather than just friendly banter. But there‘s a catch that privacy-conscious users should know about: your messages will be used to enhance personalization on Snapchat. So basically, if you’re asking about sensitive topics, maybe think twice before using this feature.
And let’s be honest – how many Snapchat users are actually going to check those citations? The platform is built for quick, ephemeral content, not academic research. But the convenience factor is huge. Instead of switching to a browser or different app, you can just ask questions right where you’re already chatting with friends. That’s pretty powerful when you think about it.
The bigger picture
This $400 million deal tells us something important about where AI is heading. Perplexity isn’t just building another standalone app – they’re paying serious money to embed themselves where people already spend time. It’s basically the same playbook that made Google the default search engine in browsers, but applied to AI in social apps.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel talks about making AI “woven into the fabric of your friendships,” which sounds nice but also raises questions about how much AI should be involved in our personal relationships. And Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas mentions serving curiosity “directly where it occurs” – which is corporate speak for “we want to be everywhere you are.”
Look, this partnership makes perfect business sense for both companies. Snap gets a massive cash injection and can claim they’re offering “serious” AI alongside their existing My AI. Perplexity gets access to nearly a billion potential users without having to convince them to download another app. But whether this actually improves the user experience or just adds another layer of complexity to an already crowded app remains to be seen.
