Perplexity Rejects Ads, Backs Anthropic Model

AI search startup Perplexity AI has announced that it will not introduce advertisements inside its chatbot responses, positioning itself closer to Anthropic in the ongoing debate over AI monetisation.

According to a report by Business Insider, company executives said during a recent media roundtable that Perplexity will focus on subscription plans and enterprise sales rather than advertising revenue.

The decision sets it apart from OpenAI, which has started testing ads within ChatGPT for certain users in the United States.

Focus on enterprise growth

Perplexity is expanding its enterprise strategy and targeting large organisations and professional users, including finance executives, doctors and business leaders. While its enterprise sales team is currently small, the company plans to scale it aggressively.

This approach places Perplexity in competition with AI enterprise search tools such as Glean, which helps businesses search internal documents and data using AI.

Executives reportedly said the company prefers long-term revenue stability over chasing high engagement numbers. They indicated that metrics such as retention and paid subscriptions matter more than the total number of chatbot queries handled.

Revenue growth and free tier

Perplexity did not disclose detailed financial statements but said its revenue grew 4.7 times last year, reaching $200 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) by October 2025.

The company also confirmed that it will maintain a free tier, though with certain limits.

OpenAI testing ads in ChatGPT

Meanwhile, OpenAI recently confirmed that it has begun testing ads in ChatGPT for a subset of free and “Go” plan users in the US. The company stated that advertisements are clearly labelled as sponsored and are visually separated from AI responses.

OpenAI has said that ads will not influence chatbot answers and that the move is aimed at supporting broader free access while maintaining trust.

Industry debate on trust and monetisation

The debate reflects broader differences in strategy among AI firms. Anthropic has publicly rejected advertising within its chatbot services, emphasising user trust and safety.

Perplexity executives reportedly argued that inserting ads into AI answers could undermine credibility. By choosing a subscription and enterprise-led model, the company is betting that trust and professional adoption will provide stronger long-term growth than ad-driven expansion.

As competition intensifies among AI platforms, the divide over advertising, monetisation and enterprise focus could shape how users and businesses choose between leading AI services in the years ahead.