Cristiano Ronaldo invests in Perplexity AI, enters partnership
The AI startup signs a global sponsorship with the billionaire footballer
[SAN FRANCISCO] Billionaire footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has taken a stake in Perplexity AI, marking the Portuguese star’s most high-profile investment to date.
The size of the stake and financial terms were not disclosed in a statement published on Thursday (Dec 5). Perplexity AI also entered a global sponsorship agreement with Ronaldo, and launched an interactive hub for fans on its search engine.
Founded in 2022, Perplexity has emerged as a fastest-growing AI startup, positioning itself as a direct challenger to Google.
The San Francisco-based company was valued at US$20 billion in a September funding round and has been expanding its enterprise tools, paid subscriptions and international footprint amid surging demand for AI search alternatives.
Ronaldo, who is currently based in Saudi Arabia, has a net worth of about US$1.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which recently valued his wealth for the first time.
Until now he has primarily invested in his home country of Portugal and has focused on smaller businesses like the 2024 acquisition of the Lisboa Racket Center, as well as a hotel chain, gyms and a media group.
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The investment comes weeks after Ronaldo met with US President Donald Trump in Washington, an encounter widely shared on social media after Trump posted a video of the pair together.
While neither side disclosed details of their conversation, it sparked online speculation about potential commercial or promotional ties. BLOOMBERG
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