Perplexity Acquires Read.cv to Expand Professional Networking Tools

Read.cv, a professional social media platform competing with LinkedIn, has been acquired by AI-powered search engine Perplexity. The acquisition signals Perplexity’s growing interest in corporate-focused functionality as it continues to expand its offerings.

Read.cv’s Wind-Down Process

As part of the acquisition, Read.cv will begin winding down operations starting Friday. Users will have until May 16 to export their data, including profiles, posts, and messages. Additionally, the platform plans to migrate “.cv” domains to its partner, Hello.cv, beginning January 31, allowing users to continue managing their personal websites.

“We’ve long admired Perplexity and believe great things happen when the world’s knowledge is made more open and accessible,” Read.cv wrote in a blog post. “In that spirit, we are thrilled to be joining the design and engineering team at Perplexity to continue in our shared mission of exploration and discovery.”

A Strategic Acquisition

Read.cv was founded in 2021 by Andy Chung, a former product designer at Facebook, Mozilla, and Salesforce’s Quip. The platform offered tools for professionals to share resumes, chat within their industries, and create team profiles. It also featured job listing capabilities and candidate search tools aimed at organizations.

One of Read.cv’s standout features was Sites, which allowed users to create personal websites connected to their profiles, complete with optional “.cv” domains.

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas expressed excitement about the acquisition in a post on X, writing, “The team is incredibly capable in designing and building consumer and social experiences, and we look forward to working with them on many new exciting directions!”

A Perplexity spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch the acquisition but declined to provide additional details.

Perplexity’s Growing Portfolio

This marks Perplexity’s third acquisition, following its 2023 purchases of Carbon, a platform for connecting AI systems to external data sources, and Spellwise, whose CEO now spearheads Perplexity’s mobile app development.

The move aligns with Perplexity’s growing focus on corporate functionality. In 2024, the company introduced an enterprise plan that includes user management, internal knowledge search, and other business-oriented tools.

With Read.cv’s small but skilled team joining Perplexity, the AI-powered search engine may be looking to enhance its consumer and enterprise offerings. Backed by $500 million in funding and valued at $9 billion, Perplexity’s investors are likely pushing for growth and profitability.

Looking Ahead

While Perplexity hasn’t disclosed specific plans for Read.cv, the acquisition adds to its momentum in building AI-enhanced tools for both individual users and enterprises. As competition in AI and corporate tools heats up, this acquisition may help Perplexity secure a stronger foothold in the professional networking and productivity space.

What This Means

Perplexity’s acquisition of Read.cv highlights the growing intersection of AI and professional networking. By integrating Read.cv’s tools and team, Perplexity could strengthen its appeal to both corporate users and creative professionals, signaling a strategic push into broader markets.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.