Perplexity Shakes AI World with “Comet Plus” – A $5 Subscription That Finally Pays Publishers Fairly

Date: August 26, 2025

Artificial intelligence company Perplexity AI has made headlines once again. On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, the company officially launched its new subscription plan called Comet Plus. This new service is not just about premium features for users. It also introduces a clear and transparent revenue-sharing model for publishers and journalists. The move is seen as one of the most important steps taken by an AI firm to support the publishing industry.

What is Comet Plus?

Comet Plus is a subscription plan priced at $5 per month. It is also available as part of higher plans such as Pro and Max. By subscribing, users gain access to exclusive and reliable content from trusted publishers. The service ensures that readers are not only enjoying advanced AI-driven answers but also getting verified information from original sources.

The main attraction of Comet Plus is not just the subscription. It is the publisher revenue-sharing system that has been introduced with it. Perplexity is directly linking the success of its platform with the success of quality journalism.

How Does the Revenue Model Work?

Perplexity has created a special fund worth $42.5 million to support this initiative. The money collected from subscriptions is divided between publishers and the company.

• 80% of the revenue goes to publishers.
• 20% is kept by Perplexity to cover its compute and technology costs.

This is one of the most generous splits offered by a major AI platform till date. The model ensures that publishers can earn money whenever their content is used or cited.

Three Ways Publishers Earn

Perplexity has identified three specific ways through which publishers will be paid:

1. Human Visits – When a user clicks and directly visits a publisher’s website through Comet.
2. Search Citations – When Comet includes quotes, facts, or references from a publisher in its AI-generated responses.
3. Agent Actions – When Perplexity’s AI agent interacts with content from a publisher’s website to complete a user’s task.

This is a multi-channel payment system that covers both direct and indirect use of publisher content.

Which Publishers Can Join?

Perplexity already has revenue-sharing agreements with several major publishers. These include:

• Time Magazine
• Der Spiegel
• Gannett
• The Independent
• Fortune

Now, all these partners can participate in the new Comet Plus program. More publishers are expected to join in the coming months as the model proves itself.

Jessica Chan, Perplexity’s Head of Publisher Partnerships, said:

“Perplexity only succeeds if journalism succeeds.”

Her statement reflects the company’s effort to build trust with the publishing world.

Why Is This Move Important?

The relationship between AI companies and media publishers has been under heavy stress. Many media firms have accused AI platforms of using their content without proper permission or payment. Some companies even filed lawsuits against Perplexity and other AI firms.

The launch of Comet Plus is a direct response to these criticisms. By committing real money and a fair revenue model, Perplexity is trying to repair its image and win the trust of publishers.

This is also a smart business move. Users today want quality answers backed by authentic sources. By paying publishers, Perplexity ensures that its AI outputs remain reliable and legally safe.

Background: AI vs Publishers

In the last two years, publishers around the world have raised alarms against AI. Companies like News Corp, Dow Jones, Forbes, Condé Nast, and many Japanese outlets have been vocal about unfair scraping of their content.

There have been lawsuits, public debates, and even calls for government regulations. Perplexity itself faced controversy earlier in 2025 over accusations of scraping news sites without permission.

The Comet Plus launch with revenue-sharing comes at a very crucial time. It helps Perplexity show that AI and journalism can actually work together instead of fighting each other.

Benefits for Users

While publishers gain money, users also benefit from this system.

• They get access to trusted journalism and not just AI-generated summaries.
• They enjoy a budget-friendly price of $5 per month.
• They know that by subscribing, they are also supporting the future of quality reporting.

This is a way for ordinary readers to indirectly fund journalism while enjoying advanced AI features.

The Future of AI and Journalism

With Comet Plus, Perplexity is trying to set an industry standard. Other AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google may now face pressure to launch similar partnerships.

If successful, this model could reshape how news, AI, and digital content interact. Instead of conflict, there could be collaboration and shared growth.

For publishers struggling with falling ad revenues, this could open a new income stream. For users, this could mean access to higher quality AI results. And for Perplexity, this could mean stronger credibility in a competitive AI market.