Perplexity Targets 2028 IPO, CEO Tells CNBC
Perplexity is targeting an initial public offering in 2028 and plans to move forward with that timeline regardless of what happens with potential listings by Anthropic or OpenAI, the company’s CEO told CNBC.
The comments put a clear marker on Perplexity’s long-term plans as the artificial intelligence sector continues to draw investor attention and as several prominent AI companies face questions about when, and whether, they might go public.
Perplexity’s CEO made the remarks in an interview with CNBC, according to reports from CNBC and Reuters. In that interview, the CEO said the company is planning an IPO in 2028 and framed the goal as independent of any IPO decisions made by Anthropic or OpenAI.
The development is notable because it signals Perplexity’s intent to pursue public markets on a set schedule rather than positioning its plans around competitors’ timing. With investor interest in AI-related businesses remaining intense, a stated IPO target can influence how a company structures its financing strategy, hires, and product roadmap over the next several years.
A 2028 target also indicates Perplexity is thinking beyond near-term market windows. Companies weighing public offerings often attempt to balance growth ambitions with the scrutiny that comes with being publicly traded, including quarterly reporting and regulatory obligations. By pointing to a specific year, Perplexity is communicating to investors and partners that it is planning for that transition.
Perplexity’s stance also matters in the context of the broader AI industry, where the largest and best-known developers can shape expectations for valuations and deal activity. A future Perplexity listing would add another high-profile public-market test for AI-focused businesses, offering investors additional insight into revenue models, costs, and competitive dynamics across the sector.
For now, no IPO filing was announced in the reports, and the company did not disclose additional transactional details in the headlines cited. The only confirmed element is the CEO’s statement to CNBC that Perplexity plans to go public in 2028 and is not basing that plan on what Anthropic or OpenAI may decide.
The next steps for Perplexity, based on the stated timeline, would typically include continued business expansion and internal preparation for public-company requirements, though the company has not publicly laid out a detailed roadmap in the cited reports. Any eventual IPO process would likely begin with more formal disclosures closer to the planned date, including regulatory filings and underwriter selection, if the company proceeds.
In the meantime, the CEO’s comments serve as a clear public declaration of intent: Perplexity is aiming for a 2028 IPO on its own timetable.
