Perplexity AI overtakes ChatGPT on App Store after Airtel deal sparks download surge

Airtel's strategic partnership with AI search engine Perplexity has led to a surge in downloads, propelling the Perplexity app to the top spot on Apple's App Store in India - surpassing OpenAI's ChatGPT.

This milestone was confirmed by Perplexity AI's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, in a LinkedIn post.

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According to a Reuters report, the spike in downloads comes just a day after Airtel announced it would offer a one-year subscription to Perplexity AI Pro - worth Rs 17,000 annually - for free to its users.

While the Perplexity app has long been listed among the top AI apps on mobile platforms, it had never overtaken ChatGPT in the Indian app store rankings - until now.

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The free access to Perplexity’s premium tier, which includes advanced features like Labs and Pro tools, has made the app especially attractive to students, educators, researchers, and working professionals.

The move to partner with Airtel marks a significant expansion effort for Perplexity AI, which operates as an AI-powered search engine providing real-time answers to complex queries.

With Airtel’s massive user base and aggressive promotional push, users have been quick to download the app as the most convenient way to access the AI platform - though the service is also accessible via web browsers like Safari and Chrome.

Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, shared the news on LinkedIn, noting the app’s record-breaking performance and thanking users for their support following the Airtel partnership.

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