Perplexity, a Jeff Bezos-backed startup, is launching a program that allows traditional media firms to collect a share of the revenue their articles generate on its AI platform. The move aims to fend off legal action from industry giants and comes as Perplexity faces massive legal pressures.
The company has set aside $42.5 million to distribute among publishers participating in the program, which will fund Comet Plus, a new subscription tier for the web browser. Comet Plus will cost $5 a month and offer curated content similar to Apple’s Apple News +.
Publishers will earn 80% of Comet Plus revenue, with Perplexity taking the rest. The program aims to create a new standard for compensation for traditional media outlets that rely on web traffic and clicks to stay afloat.
Perplexity has been facing lawsuits from industry giants, including News Corp, Forbes, and Condé Nast, which accuse the company of ripping off their copyrighted content without permission. However, Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, believes the program is the right solution and that the company will win all pending lawsuits.
The startup has also raised $100 million at an $18 billion valuation and recently offered to pay $34.5 billion for Google’s Chrome browser in anticipation of antitrust concerns. Perplexity plans to use its own AI-powered search engine to rival Google’s Chrome, which is currently facing antitrust scrutiny.
Source: https://nypost.com/2025/08/25/business/perplexity-to-give-media-giants-share-of-ai-search-revenue