Perplexity has offered ads for half a year — marketers already want scale

In today's crowded AI race, platforms no longer have the luxury of time to refine an ad proposition, especially since advertisers are tightening budgets and chasing efficiency.

May 28, 2025 - 05:02

Perplexity has offered ads for half a year — marketers already want scale

It’s only been six months since Perplexity launched its ad business, but advertisers are already hungry for it to grow up fast and prove it’s more than just another shiny object.

Six media buyers Digiday spoke to say they want to see more from the AI-powered search engine, which has been tested by the likes of Indeed, Whole Foods, Universal McCann and PMG since November, when they signed up as the first brand and agency partners to the platform. The ads, tucked beside answers and marked “sponsored” are subtle but the expectations are anything but. Marketers are curious, the buyers said, but Perplexity hasn’t offered enough ad opportunities to match that energy.

Perplexity hasn’t yet opened up new advertising opportunities beyond the limited pilot group, said one ad exec who exchanged anonymity for candor. However, the AI-platform’s Merchant Program — an initiative which also launched last November, and is designed to give large and small retailers access to Perplexity’s users seeking AI-powered shopping recommendations, as well as increase product visibility, without any commission fees — is another way to get on board.

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