The revised proposal allows for a new structure merging Perplexity AI and TikTok's U.S. business. The U.S. government could acquire up to a 50 percent nonvoting stake after a public offering valued at $300 billion or more. ByteDance would maintain equity in the new entity but cede control to a U.S. board.

U.S. search engine startup Perplexity AI has revised the merger proposal it had submitted to TikTok's Chinese parent ByteDance to create a new entity combining Perplexity and TikTok U.S., a person familiar with the proposal told Reuters on Sunday.