In-Short
- Telefónica’s Wayra invests in AI answer engine Perplexity, aiming to revolutionize internet searches.
- Perplexity provides real-time, contextual answers using natural language processing, unlike traditional search engines.
- Wayra joins Nvidia, Databricks, Jeff Bezos, and others as investors, with a global commercial agreement in place.
- Telefónica launches a Perplexity experience through TV, allowing customers to interact with the AI via Movistar Plus+.
Summary
Telefónica’s venture capital division, Wayra, has recently made a strategic investment in Perplexity, an AI-driven platform designed to transform how users search for information on the internet. Perplexity stands out from traditional search engines by providing immediate, accurate answers to user queries through advanced natural language processing. This innovative approach allows the engine to understand the intent behind questions and deliver direct answers from a curated selection of sources.
The investment places Wayra among a notable group of Perplexity backers, including industry leaders like Nvidia, Databricks, and prominent investors such as Jeff Bezos and Stanley Druckenmiller. Top venture capital firms like Bessemer Venture Partners, NEA, and IVP have also shown confidence in Perplexity’s potential for growth.
Alongside the investment, Telefónica has established a global commercial agreement with Perplexity, promising preferential benefits to its customers in Brazil, the UK, and Spain, and considering further market expansion. Telefónica has also introduced an innovative way for customers to engage with Perplexity through their television sets. By integrating a living app within the Movistar Plus+ catalogue, users can now interact with the AI answer engine using the Movistar Plus+ Voice Remote, receiving spoken answers directly on their TV screens.
Chema Alonso, Telefónica’s Chief Digital Data Officer, emphasizes that the investment aligns with Wayra’s strategy to support high-growth, global technology companies, particularly those leading in AI. The partnership with Perplexity underscores Telefónica’s dedication to integrating advanced technologies and offering transformative user experiences.
Perplexity’s co-founder and CEO, Aravind Srinivas, expresses enthusiasm for the investment from Wayra, seeing it as a validation of their AI-powered approach and a gateway to global expansion. Srinivas looks forward to further collaboration with Telefónica to advance AI-driven information discovery and enhance user experiences worldwide.
This move by Telefónica aligns with industry trends, as research indicates that the telecoms sector is at the forefront of adopting generative AI technologies.
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