Over the past few years, Perplexity has emerged as a friendly, AI-driven alternative to traditional search engines—known for weaving web-based answers into conversational responses. Now, the company is stepping into a bold new chapter. It has unveiled Comet Plus, a subscription tier aimed at returning value to publishers in a web transformed by AI. At just $5 a month, this could be a game-changer—depending on how it plays out.
📌 Key Points
- – Perplexity has launched Comet Plus, a $5/month subscription tied to its AI-powered browser.
- – Participating publishers receive 80% of revenue, with Perplexity retaining 20% for costs.
- – An initial $42.5 million fund is set aside to support early publisher partners.
- – Publishers earn through three types of usage: human visits, AI citations, and agent-powered actions.
- – The move comes amid mounting legal pressure from major media houses.
- – Critics argue that despite compensation, AI may still reduce deep journalism into thin summaries.
What’s Comet Plus All About?
At the heart of Comet Plus is a simple promise: subscribers get access to premium content from trusted publishers right inside the Comet browser. The twist? 80% of subscription revenue goes back to publishers, while Perplexity keeps 20% for operating costs like compute and infrastructure.
And it doesn’t stop there. Comet Plus isn’t just a standalone offer; it’s also bundled into Perplexity’s higher-tier plans (Pro and Max users get it automatically included).
How Publisher Revenue Is Calculated
Perplexity’s model pays publishers for three distinct forms of usage:
- Human visits—when users browse publisher websites through Comet.
- Search citations—when AI answers reference a publisher’s content.
- Agent actions—when the Comet Assistant carries out tasks using publisher content, like scanning your calendar and recommending relevant articles.
This structure is meant to reflect how people interact with content today—not just scrolling but receiving answers via AI and executing tasks through virtual agents.
Backed by $42.5 Million to Kickstart the Model
To get publishers on board from day one, Perplexity has allocated a $42.5 million pool to distribute among early participating outlets. The idea is straightforward: offer publishers real, immediate compensation while the model builds momentum and trust.
Why It Matters for Journalism
AI-driven content summarization has increasingly cut publishers out of user traffic. Platforms like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and search engines that supply instant summaries are disrupting referral-based ad revenue models. Many publishers have raised alarms over declining pageviews and exposure.
Perplexity’s model offers a possible reversal: instead of being bypassed, publishers get paid when their content is used—be it read, cited, or operated on. It’s a fresh attempt to reimagine compensation for quality journalism in an AI-first world. Jessica Chan, Perplexity’s head of publisher partnerships, emphasizes that sustainable growth for Comet hinges on publishers’ success—and that successful publishers mean successful platforms.
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Mounting Legal Pressure
Comet Plus doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Several major media players—including News Corp (Dow Jones), Forbes, Condé Nast, The New York Times, and others—have taken legal steps against Perplexity, accusing it of using their editorial content without authorization or compensation.
By launching Comet Plus, Perplexity may be aiming to reduce friction by offering a tangible way for publishers to get paid—possibly defusing parts of the legal firestorm. As CEO Aravind Srinivas put it, “AI is helping to create a better internet, but publishers still need to get paid”.
Criticism: Convenience vs. Depth
Even as Comet Plus wags a comforting carrot, critics point out that it doesn’t change one central truth: AI still tends to deliver summarized content. That means readers may never visit full articles, getting stripped-down versions that sacrifice depth, voice, and context. In effect, journalism becomes fuel for AI responses—not preserved in its original narrative form.
There’s also the question of scale. The $42.5 million starter fund is impressive—but as usage grows, will the subscription base keep pace to ensure meaningful payouts? And will smaller publishers get their fair share, or will big names dominate? Transparency and balanced distribution will be vital.
Final Thoughts
Comet Plus is a bold experiment in using AI to rebuild publisher trust. It’s simple, human-focused, and backed by serious financial commitment. If enough readers subscribe, it could mark the shift from frictionless AI consumption toward a cooperative model that values original journalism.
But this isn’t a silver bullet. AI’s reach remains seductive—easy summaries, instant info, less clicking. For Comet Plus to truly help journalism, publishers need adoption, equitable visibility, and ongoing transparency. Only then will the $5/month plan be more than a pitch—it’ll be a path forward for media in the AI age.
