Trump’s Truth Social Integrates AI Search via Controversial Partner Perplexity
Truth Social, the social media platform founded by former President Donald Trump, is rolling out a new AI-powered search feature in collaboration with Perplexity, an AI startup facing multiple allegations of unethical data practices. The feature, called Truth Search AI, is currently in beta testing on the web version of Truth Social, with plans to expand to iOS and Android soon.
Perplexity’s chief business officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating that the company aims to deliver powerful AI tools to Truth Social’s user base. However, Perplexity has been mired in controversy, accused of copyright infringement, plagiarism, and unauthorized web scraping. Major publishers, including The Wall Street Journal and Condé Nast, have taken legal action against the AI firm for allegedly using their content without permission.
This partnership highlights the growing trend of tech companies aligning themselves with political figures. Earlier this week, OpenAI announced it would provide ChatGPT Enterprise subscriptions to federal employees at minimal cost. Meanwhile, Apple CEO Tim Cook recently presented Trump with a commemorative plaque celebrating the company’s U.S. investments, seen as an effort to avoid potential backlash over its overseas manufacturing operations.
Perplexity’s involvement also connects Trump Media to Jeff Bezos, one of the AI company’s largest investors. The deal allows Truth Social to integrate AI capabilities without the high costs of developing its own technology, positioning it to compete with platforms like X, which has its own AI chatbot, Grok.
For Perplexity, the partnership offers access to a new user base, potentially aiding in refining its AI models. However, ongoing legal battles and ethical concerns may continue to overshadow its growth. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in social media, the collaboration between Truth Social and Perplexity underscores both the opportunities and controversies surrounding the technology.
