Perplexity Now Serves Over 100 Million Search Queries Weekly

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Rapid Growth and New Features

Perplexity, the AI-powered search engine, has reached a significant milestone in its short history. According to CEO Aravind Srinivas, the company is now serving an impressive 100 million search queries each week. Extrapolated over a month, that’s roughly 400 million queries – a staggering number considering it was only 250 million in July.

This rapid growth comes as Perplexity teases new commerce features for its subscribers to the Perplexity Pro service. One such feature includes the ability to make one-click purchases directly from the search engine results page (SERP). This is just the beginning, as reports suggest that Perplexity is also planning a new ad model.

Talks with Major Brands

According to The Financial Times, Perplexity is in talks with major brands including Nike and Marriott for sponsored queries. These partnerships will likely provide valuable revenue streams for the company as it continues to grow its user base and expand its offerings.

Legal Challenges Ahead

However, not all news is positive for Perplexity. The company has been embroiled in a series of high-profile legal disputes with publishers over content replication. News Corp’s Dow Jones and the NY Post have sued Perplexity over what they describe as a ‘content kleptocracy.’ Many other news sites have expressed similar concerns, and just last week, The New York Times sent the startup a cease and desist letter.

These legal challenges are likely to be ongoing for some time, but it remains to be seen how they will impact Perplexity’s growth trajectory. The company is said to be in talks to raise around $500 million at an $8 billion valuation, which would provide significant funding to navigate these challenges.

Perplexity’s Market Opportunity

Perplexity’s market opportunity is substantial, given the rapid growth of AI-powered search engines and the increasing demand for more personalized search results. By replicating content from news sites without permission, Perplexity has managed to attract a large user base – but at what cost?

The company’s decision to introduce one-click purchases directly on the SERP raises questions about the role of advertising in its business model. With a new ad model reportedly in the works, it will be interesting to see how Perplexity balances its revenue streams and continues to grow its user base.

Conclusion

Perplexity’s rapid rise is undeniably impressive, but the company faces significant challenges ahead. Its market opportunity is substantial, but so too are the risks associated with replicating content without permission. As it navigates these challenges, Perplexity will need to balance its growth trajectory with its commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.

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