Cristiano Ronaldo invests in Perplexity AI

"I am proud to announce my investment in Perplexity. Perplexity is powering the world’s curiosity, and together we will inspire everyone to ask more ambitious questions," Ronaldo said in a promotional video posted on social media on Dec. 4, according to The Sun.

The size of the stake and financial terms were not disclosed. Perplexity also secured a global sponsorship deal with Ronaldo and launched an interactive hub for fans on its search engine, Bloomberg reported.

Cristiano Ronaldo in a game for Saudi Pro League football club Al-Nassr. Photo courtesy of Ronaldo's Instagram

Founded in 2022, Perplexity has rapidly emerged as one of the fastest-growing AI startups, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Google.

Ronaldo, 40, who currently resides in Saudi Arabia, has a net worth of approximately $1.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which recently assessed his wealth for the first time.

In October, Ronaldo mentioned Perplexity in a speech at an awards ceremony in Portugal, where he shared that he used the AI tool to gather information about the Prestige Award he was receiving.

Prior to his move into the AI sector, Ronaldo’s investments were mainly focused in Portugal, where he acquired businesses such as the Lisboa Racket Center in 2024, along with a hotel chain, gyms, and a media group. He was also recently photographed with tech mogul Elon Musk at a White House dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump.