Generative AI search engine Perplexity, which claims to be a Google competitor and recently snagged a $73.6 million Series B funding from investors like Jeff Bezos, is going to start selling ads, the company told ADWEEK.
And…
While Perplexity touts on its site that search should be “free from the influence of advertising-driven models,” advertising was always in the cards for the company.
“Advertising was always part of how we’re going to build a great business,” said Shevelenko.
Semantics and word play aside, by publicly suggesting they would offer an ad-free search experience while privately planning to build their business on advertising, Perplexity fell into the trap of the "marketing shell game." They traded the trust of their users for the short-term buzz of a bold claim.
