Cristiano Ronaldo invested in Perplexity AI and started a partnership with Google's main competitor
Billionaire footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has acquired a stake in Perplexity AI, making it the Portuguese star's most high-profile investment to date.
Billionaire footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has acquired a stake in Perplexity AI, making it the Portuguese star's most high-profile investment to date.
Perplexity AI announced this on December 4, but did not specify the financial terms.
The AI company also entered into a global partnership with Ronaldo and launched an interactive fan hub on its search engine.
"In honor of the partnership, Perplexity is launching an interactive CR7 hub! Here, Cristiano Ronaldo fans will be able to explore his career in detail, see unique photos, find answers to interesting questions, remember the best goals and their behind-the-scenes moments. More content, new features, and exclusive merchandise will be available throughout the partnership," the company said in a statement.
Founded in 2022, Perplexity has become the fastest-growing AI startup, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Google. The San Francisco-based company was valued at $20 billion in a September funding round and is expanding its enterprise tools, paid subscriptions and international presence amid growing demand for AI-powered search alternatives.
Until now, Ronaldo has mostly invested in his home country, Portugal, and focused on smaller businesses, such as the acquisition of the Lisboa Racket Center in 2024, as well as a chain of hotels, gyms and a media group, Bloomberg writes .
The investment comes weeks after Ronaldo met with US President Donald Trump in Washington. While neither party has revealed details of their conversation, it has sparked online speculation about potential commercial or promotional ties.
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