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This is a first that is sure to get a reaction. Perplexity, the AI-based search engine, has just announced in a blog post that it will be experimenting with advertising on its platform starting this week. Let’s take stock.
Sponsored answers
In concrete terms, this initiative is only being launched in the United States. The ads will appear in the form of “sponsored follow-up questions.” The platform cites the example: “How can I use Indeed to boost my job search”? . Advertisers will thus be positioned alongside the AI's responses with a “sponsored” mention.
The company justifies itself:
Advertising programs like this help us generate revenue to share with our publishing partners. Experience has taught us that subscriptions alone do not generate enough revenue to create a sustainable revenue sharing program. Advertising is the best way to ensure a stable and scalable revenue stream.
Knowing that privacy and confidentiality are very sensitive topics, Perplexity is committed to being upfront. Its customers will never have access to users’ personal data. The startup adds: “These ads will not change our commitment to maintaining a trusted service that provides you with direct and unbiased answers to your questions.”
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000AI giants hesitant on advertising
The fact remains that this topic is very sensitive in this sector and not everyone makes this choice. For example, OpenAI has clearly decided not to add advertising with its new AI SearchGPT. Google and Microsoft have both tested advertising formats with their tools, but they are also acting very cautiously.
As Techcrunch points out, Perplexity is being sued by several American media outlets that accuse it of plagiarizing its content without their consent. This is the case with the New York Post, while the New York Times recently sent a formal notice to the company. It remains to be seen whether this bad press will dissuade potential customers from trusting him.
In any case, the American company has been eyeing the advertising market for several months now. Last month, it explained: “40% of queries made on our platform give rise to additional questions. This represents an opportunity for advertisers to capture the attention of users at the precise moment they are looking for information.” Enough to convince those interested to join it. To learn more, feel free to read our previous article on this subject here.
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