Perplexity launches Comet Plus subscription with up to 80% payouts to publishers
AI platform Perplexity has introduced a new monetization model — the $5/month Comet Plus subscription, which allocates up to 80% of revenue directly to publishers. It is one of the first cases where an AI developer voluntarily adopts a direct compensation model for content usage.
Under the new model, payouts will be triggered in three cases:
— when a user clicks through to a publisher’s site from the Comet browser
— when content is quoted in AI-generated answers
— when Comet’s virtual agent uses materials to complete a task
Perplexity has allocated an initial $42.5 million fund for these payments. Comet Plus replaces the former Publisher Program and puts collaboration with media at the center of its vision.
This move is seen as a signal to the broader media industry, which has voiced growing concern about generative AI diminishing the value of journalism and original content. If successful, the model may establish a new standard — one where creators are compensated when their content powers AI systems.
But critics warn: even with compensation, AI may reshape user habits and reduce engagement with original sources. At stake is a deeper question — who gets paid for knowledge that’s created by humans, but delivered by machines?
