A nearly 3-year-old AI startup has reportedly caught the attention of two of the largest and most influential tech companies, underscoring the fierce competition for AI talent and push to become leaders in what some believe will be the next major evolution of the internet.

This is why it’s not surprising to learn that at some point in time, Meta considered buying Perplexity and other AI companies to boost its efforts. According to a report from The Verge, the publication claims that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed buying Perplexity AI at one point in time.

The interest from both Silicon Valley giants raises an important question: why are they eyeing a much smaller company like Perplexity?