Perplexity AI plans to redesign TikTok's algorithm and features

Perplexity AI wants to take over TikTok and has shared its vision for the popular social media platform. The company is known for its AI search engine and is proposing to rebuild TikTok's algorithm and add new features to improve the user experience. In a recent blog post, Perplexity detailed its plans for “rebuilding TikTok in America.” This includes developing a new recommendation algorithm and integrating TikTok's short videos into its search engine. However, it's unclear how serious Perplexity's bid is, as ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, is also in talks with other potential buyers, including Oracle. Perplexity believes it can manage TikTok without creating a monopoly. They argue that a group of investors might keep ByteDance involved, while a competitor could dominate the short video market. The company aims to free content feeds from outside control. Additionally, Perplexity plans to make TikTok’s "For You" feed open source and introduce a feature called Community Notes. This would provide citations similar to those used in its search engine, aiming to make TikTok a more trustworthy platform. This would change how the current fact-checking program works. This is the first time Perplexity has shared such detailed plans. Some of its ideas resemble strategies used by Elon Musk for his platform, X. There is a sense of urgency, as the U.S. government must soon decide TikTok’s future, with a ban potentially looming after April 5. President Trump has hinted he may extend protections for the app if necessary.