Perplexity Unveils Comet Plus Subscription With Revenue-Sharing Model for Publishers

AI search startup Perplexity has unveiled a new subscription tier for its agentic AI browser, Comet Plus, introducing a revenue-sharing program designed to benefit publishers.

As part of the initiative, participating publishers can earn money in three ways:

When their website’s links appear in Comet’s AI-generated search results

When users visit their sites through Comet’s referrals

When Comet’s AI agent utilizes their content to complete user tasks

To support the program, Perplexity has allocated a $42.5 million fund, channeling a share of the subscription revenue into the pool. The company will distribute funds on an 80-20 revenue split, a model similar to Apple’s approach with Apple News+.

This move positions Perplexity as one of the first major AI startups to implement a structured revenue-sharing model with publishers tied to citations and web traffic. By contrast, tech giants such as Google, Meta, and OpenAI have pursued direct licensing deals with publishers like Reuters, Axel Springer, and Vox Media for content distribution and AI training rights.

With Comet Plus, Perplexity aims to balance AI innovation with fair compensation for publishers, setting a potential precedent for the broader AI and media ecosystem.