Perplexity Launches Comet Plus, Shares Revenue With Publishers
▼ Summary
– Perplexity launched Comet Plus, a $5 monthly subscription that compensates publishers when users read their content or when AI systems use it for answers.
– Subscribers gain direct access to publisher sites, receive AI answers informed by those sources, and can use agent workflows to complete tasks on those platforms.
– Publishers are paid for three types of interactions: human visits, search citations, and agent actions like the Comet Assistant scanning calendars to suggest relevant reading.
– This model aims to expand monetization beyond traditional clicks by tying payouts to actual user and AI activity, aligning compensation with real demand.
– Perplexity will announce initial publishing partners when the Comet browser becomes free for all users, with the model’s success depending on adoption, transparency, and revenue generation.
Perplexity has introduced a new subscription service called Comet Plus, designed to share revenue with publishers when users read their content or when AI systems reference it to generate responses. This initiative aims to create a sustainable compensation framework in an increasingly AI-driven digital ecosystem, offering a fresh approach to how content creators are rewarded for their work.
Available for $5 per month, Comet Plus grants subscribers direct access to partner publisher websites, enables AI-generated answers informed by those sources, and supports agent workflows capable of performing tasks on supported platforms. Existing Perplexity Pro and Max subscribers will automatically receive Comet Plus as part of their current plans. The service is integrated with Perplexity’s Comet browser and AI assistant.
The revenue-sharing model is built around three types of engagement: human visits, search citations, and agent actions. For example, if the Comet Assistant scans a user’s calendar and recommends an article from a participating publisher, that interaction would qualify as an agent action and generate a payment. This structure acknowledges the diverse ways people now interact with content, through direct browsing, AI-assisted queries, and automated workflows.
Publishers interested in joining the program can reach out via email to request participation. Perplexity emphasizes that the majority of subscription fees will go directly to partners, with only a small portion retained to cover operational and computational expenses.
This model represents a significant shift for publishers and marketers seeking to monetize digital presence beyond conventional click-based metrics. As organizations explore varied responses to AI content usage, from restricting crawlers to negotiating licensing agreements, Comet Plus offers a performance-based alternative. Rather than relying on flat fees, compensation is tied to tangible user and AI activity, potentially aligning publisher earnings more closely with genuine content demand.
Looking forward, Perplexity plans to unveil its initial group of publishing partners when the Comet browser becomes widely available at no cost. The long-term success of this compensation framework will hinge on early adoption rates, the transparency of reporting mechanisms, and the actual revenue generated for content partners. Whether Comet Plus evolves into a widely embraced standard or remains a specialized offering will depend on its ability to deliver real value in a rapidly changing digital economy.
(Source: Search Engine Journal)
