Snapchat’s ‘My AI’ Gets a Brain: $400M Deal Integrates Perplexity’s Advanced Search

Snapchat has announced a landmark partnership with AI search startup Perplexity, integrating Perplexity’s advanced search technology directly into the Snapchat platform to empower its built-in chatbot “My AI.” According to the agreement, Perplexity will pay Snap a total of $400 million in cash and stock, with the new functionality expected to launch officially in early 2026.

The move represents Snap’s strategic step toward upgrading its social platform amid the AI wave, as it seeks external collaboration to maintain its competitive edge without its own large-scale foundational model. Once integrated, Snapchat users asking questions of the My AI chatbot will receive real-time answers compiled by Perplexity’s AI search engine, complete with verified online sources.

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel stated that bringing Perplexity’s AI technology into Snapchat aims to make artificial intelligence “more personal, more social, and more fun.”