Perplexity AI is doubling down on the future of AI-driven research with the launch of its new “Deep Research” tool, aiming to provide users with expert-level insights in record time. The company, founded by former OpenAI researcher Aravind Srinivas, has quickly become a formidable player in the AI space, backed by industry heavyweights like Jeff Bezos and Nvidia. Now, it’s taking direct aim at OpenAI’s high-priced research agent with a freemium alternative that prioritizes accessibility and speed.
Perplexity AI’s Deep Research offers expert-level analysis in minutes
Unlike OpenAI’s Deep Research, which is locked behind a hefty $200 monthly subscription, Perplexity is making its tool available for free, albeit with some usage limitations. Pro users, who pay $20 per month, get up to 500 deep research queries per day. The AI-powered assistant, currently available on the web, is set to roll out soon on iOS, Android, and Mac, making in-depth research just a few taps away.
At its core, Deep Research is designed to mimic how a human might approach a complex topic—iteratively searching, reading, and refining its understanding before compiling a polished, citation-backed report. It works across a broad range of subjects, from finance and marketing to health and product research. More impressively, it delivers results in under three minutes, a stark contrast to OpenAI’s offering, which can take anywhere from five to 30 minutes to generate similar reports.
Performance-wise, Perplexity’s Deep Research tool scored 21.1% on “Humanity’s Last Exam,” an AI benchmark for expert-level analysis. That places it ahead of models like Gemini Thinking (6.2%) and GPT-4o (3.3%), though it still falls short of OpenAI’s 26.6% score.
Despite its technological advancements, Perplexity is navigating growing legal scrutiny. The company has faced lawsuits from major media organizations over claims of unauthorized content use. To counter this, it has started partnering with publishers like Time and Fortune to develop revenue-sharing agreements.
With AI research tools rapidly evolving, Perplexity’s bet on speed, affordability, and accessibility could make it a compelling alternative for users unwilling to shell out big bucks for enterprise-grade AI solutions.
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