Perplexity

Perplexity AI is a cutting-edge AI startup that has rapidly gained prominence in the tech industry. Founded in 2022 by Aravind Srinivas, Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Perplexity AI operates as a conversational search engine, utilizing large language models (LLMs) to provide users with direct, sourced responses to queries in natural language.

Business Model

Perplexity AI employs a freemium business model, offering both free and paid services:

• Free Plan: Uses a standalone LLM based on GPT-3.5, providing personalized search results with inline citations. Users can generate customizable web pages and research presentations.

• Perplexity Pro: Offers access to an API, allows searching internal files and web content, and supports uploading and analyzing local files, including images. It also includes access to advanced LLMs like GPT-4 and image generation capabilities.

Products and Services

• Conversational Search Engine: Provides real-time web searches, synthesizing information into natural language responses with citations.

• Document Importation: Allows users to import documents for reference.

• Image Generation: Supports AI-based image generation through tools like DALL-E and Stable Diffusion.

• Shopping Hub: Launched in November 2024, this feature provides product cards in response to shopping-related queries, backed by Amazon and Nvidia.

Mission

Perplexity AI aims to revolutionize how people interact with information by providing a cutting-edge AI-chat-based conversational search engine. The mission is to empower individuals and businesses with tools for quick and efficient access to information, enhancing productivity and decision-making.