Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he is backing an artificial intelligence technology startup as the Portuguese internationa looks to expand his reported £1billion net worth.
The AI start-up, Perplexity, competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT, which is used by millions of people across the UK.
He made the announcement on Thursday through a promotional video posted across his social media channels.
The 40-year-old said: "Curiosity is a requirement for greatness."
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He added: "You win when you keep asking new questions every day.
"That's why I am proud to announce my investment in Perplexity."
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid legend expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership.
He said Perplexity "is powering the world's curiosity" and together they would encourage people to pursue more ambitious questions.
Cristiano Ronaldo has invested in a search startup AI
|GETTY
The AI-powered platform launched in 2022.
It functions as an answer engine that retrieves information from verified sources and delivers concise summaries to users.
CR7's connection to the company predates this investment.
During a Portuguese awards ceremony in October, the footballer admitted he had turned to Perplexity when preparing his acceptance speech for the Prestige Award.
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The AI start-up, Perplexity, competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT, which is used by millions of Britons
| GETTYHe said: "What is a Prestige Award? Is it an end-of-career award?"
"And I got a little nervous and thought: 'It can't be.' So I did a search on Perplexity, if you don't know, look it up to see what it is, and I had a little help."
Ronaldo remains football's undisputed top earner, raking in more than double Lionel Messi's salary.
The Forbes rich list for 2025 shows Ronaldo out in front with staggering total earnings of £220million, including on-field pay from Al Nassr.
CR7 has an estimated net worth of more than £1billion
| INSTAGRAMRonaldo also has an estimated net worth of more than £1billion, making him the world's first billionaire to be actively playing the beautiful game.
His wealth is fueled by his massive playing salary, a lifetime endorsement deal with Nike, and various business ventures, including his CR7 brand.
His record-breaking move to the Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr in January 2023, and a subsequent extension in June 2025, made him the highest-paid player in football history.
The contract extension, reportedly valued at more than £300million, included an annual salary of over £178million, bonuses, and a 15 per cent ownership stake in the club.
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