I don’t see where Perplexity was an internet giant when Google decided to copy them.
There’s derived ideas, and theres copying. Perplexity was deriving from Google, google just straight out copied Perplexity’s implementation.
It’s like:
You invent an Apple, and also sell Apple Juice, based on your apples.
Your neighbor tastes your Apple Juice, and thinks they can do better, and invents Apple Cider.Some people like Apple Cider, some prefer Juice, both of you get sales.
Then, Kroger sees your Apples, and Juice, and makes their own Apples and sells Kroger Apple Juice and Kroger Apple Cider. You both go out of business because they dropped the price so low that you can’t make that many Apples to compete. Then Kroger raises the prices when you are gone, and also makes smaller less juicy apples, but it doesn’t matter because there’s nobody who can compete.
Did your neighbor