Perplexity unveils free AI tool for in-depth research

Information wants to be free, as was once said. In that spirit, Perplexity has an AI offer too good to refuse.

As AI companies race to develop more sophisticated research tools, Perplexity has introduced “Deep Research,” a new AI-powered research assistant that synthesizes information from hundreds of sources. The tool’s launch comes amid similar offerings from industry giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, but with a distinctive approach to accessibility.

Key Features and Capabilities: Perplexity’s Deep Research tool delivers comprehensive reports by analyzing multiple sources, with particular strength in finance, marketing, and technology domains.

• The system takes 2-4 minutes to analyze sources, refine research, and generate detailed reports
• Users can export their research as PDF documents or share them as interactive Perplexity pages
• The tool is accessible through perplexity.ai, with planned expansion to iOS, Android, and Mac platforms

Performance Metrics: In benchmark testing against other AI research tools, Perplexity’s offering has demonstrated strong competitive positioning.

• The system achieved 26.6% accuracy on the “Humanity’s Last Exam” benchmark, placing second only to OpenAI’s Deep Research
• This performance significantly outpaced other major players, including DeepSeek R1 (8.6%), Gemini (7.2%), and Grok-2 (3.9%)

Accessibility and Pricing Strategy: Perplexity has adopted a hybrid approach to monetization that sets it apart from competitors.

• The tool is freely available to all logged-in web users, with some usage limitations for non-subscribers
• Perplexity Pro subscribers receive unlimited access to the research capabilities
• This contrasts with Gemini’s $19.99 monthly subscription and ChatGPT’s $200 monthly fee for similar features

Market Differentiation: The democratization of advanced AI research capabilities marks a significant shift in the industry landscape.

• Perplexity’s strategy of offering free access, albeit limited, stands in contrast to the subscription-only models of major competitors
• OpenAI’s plans to expand free tier access later this year suggests a potential industry trend toward greater accessibility
• The tool’s strong performance metrics combined with its accessibility could position Perplexity as a significant player in the AI research space

Looking Ahead – Market Dynamics: The introduction of Perplexity’s Deep Research tool with its unique pricing strategy could prompt other providers to reconsider their accessibility models, potentially accelerating the democratization of advanced AI research capabilities while maintaining competitive performance standards.