Perplexity AI is an AI-powered answer engine that has grown from a Google alternative into a full research platform. Instead of returning links like a search engine, it synthesises information from multiple web sources and delivers direct, cited answers — showing numbered references for every claim.
As of early 2026, Perplexity serves 22+ million monthly active users and is valued at $20 billion. It recently became the default AI assistant for Snapchat's 850 million users. Plans: Free (5 Pro searches/day, limited uploads), Pro ($20/month, unlimited Pro searches, access to GPT-5.4/Claude/Grok models, unlimited file uploads, Research mode, Perplexity Labs), Max ($200/month, agentic capabilities via Perplexity Computer).
Research mode spends 2–4 minutes conducting deep analysis, iteratively searching and refining — it scored 93.9% on SimpleQA for factual accuracy. File analysis lets you upload PDFs, CSVs, and documents for instant synthesis. Spaces allow shared research environments for teams.
The main criticism is support quality — multiple users report slow responses and difficult cancellation flows. The New York Times filed a copyright lawsuit in December 2025 alleging large-scale content reproduction.
