Perplexity AI has stepped into the ongoing antitrust debate surrounding Google, calling on regulators to ensure fairer competition in the mobile search landscape. The company’s CEO and co-founder, Aravind Srinivas, revealed in a recent LinkedIn post that Perplexity has been invited to testify in the U.S. Department of Justice’s case against Google and has submitted a formal statement outlining its position.
In a blog post titled “Choice is the Remedy,” Perplexity AI stresses the importance of user freedom and competition in the digital ecosystem. The company argues that the current structure of the mobile search market heavily favors Google due to longstanding agreements with device manufacturers and telecom providers. These deals ensure that Google’s applications — including its search engine and Gemini assistant — are pre-installed and set as defaults on the majority of smartphones, limiting consumer choice.
Perplexity doesn’t advocate for breaking up Google, but rather urges authorities to dismantle restrictive agreements that prevent other services from gaining visibility. By removing such contractual barriers, smartphone makers would be free to offer a wider selection of apps and services to users.
Positioning itself not as a rival to Google, but as a complementary and AI-powered alternative, Perplexity aims to contribute to a more diverse and innovative digital environment. The company also points out how monopolistic control can suppress technological progress and limit economic opportunities.
This development comes as Perplexity is reportedly in discussions with smartphone giants like Samsung and Motorola to potentially replace Gemini as the default assistant on their upcoming devices — signaling a bold move toward reshaping the future of mobile search.
