Observed Signal · Feb 18, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Perplexity ditches ads over user trust concerns
Perplexity, an AI startup, has stopped running ads on its platform, fearing that advertising could undermine user trust. It was among the first GenAI companies to test sponsored answers in 2024 but gradually removed them by the end of last year. This contrasts with competitors like OpenAI, which recently introduced sponsored links in ChatGPT at a CPM of $60, and Meta, which charges less. Google keeps its Gemini chatbot ad-free but shows ads in AI Mode and AI Overviews, while Anthropic explicitly rejects ads in Claude. Perplexity, valued at $18 billion, generates $200 million in annualized revenue, mostly from subscriptions, and has over 100 million users. Unlike others, Perplexity does not earn from its shopping feature. The company emphasizes its commitment to delivering accurate answers and sees advertising as incompatible with user expectations.
Perplexity's decision to remove ads from its AI chatbot platform reflects a significant business model shift, but it is not a major platform policy change affecting the entire AdTech ecosystem. It highlights ongoing debates about advertising in AI and could influence user trust standards.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Perplexity removed ads from its platform due to concerns about user trust.
- OpenAI charges $60 CPM for sponsored links in ChatGPT.
- Perplexity is valued at $18 billion and generates $200 million in annualized revenue.
- Perplexity has over 100 million users.
- Anthropic publicly rejects advertising in its Claude chatbot.
Connected Companies & Entities
5 Entities mapped“Perplexity has stopped running ads on its platform....”
“Competitor OpenAI, which has recently integrated sponsored links in ChatGPT....”
“Anthropic also spoke out against ads in its Claude chatbot....”
“Tech giant Google does have ads in AI Mode and in its AI Overviews but keeps Gemini ad-free....”
“Meta currently charges (in reference to CPM comparison)....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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