Airtel Partners with Perplexity to Bring AI-Powered Learning to Millions
In a landmark move set to reshape how millions of people across India interact with artificial intelligence, Bharti Airtel has teamed up with Perplexity, one of the world’s most promising AI-powered answer engines. As part of this partnership, all Airtel users—yes, potentially all 360 million of them—can now enjoy a free, 12-month subscription to Perplexity Pro, the platform’s premium AI assistant.
Now, that might sound like a small product giveaway on paper, but there’s much more under the surface. This isn’t just about getting access to a premium app—it reflects how AI is becoming a part of everyday digital experience in India. For Airtel, it’s a bold step into the emerging world of generative AI. And for millions of users, well… this could finally be the AI assistant that sticks.
“A Game-Changing Partnership”
Airtel’s Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Gopal Vittal, described the partnership as “game-changing” in a public announcement. He emphasized the confidence this brings to Indian consumers using digital tools:
“We’re thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership with Perplexity, bringing their cutting-edge AI capabilities exclusively for Airtel customers. This collaboration will bring a powerful and real-time knowledge tool for millions of users at their fingertips, at no extra cost.”
The company has made it clear: this is not just about offering tech for the sake of it. It’s an intentional move to arm users—students, professionals, families—with a smarter way to find information, learn and simply get things done.
Timeline of Events
- Earlier this year: Samsung partnered with Perplexity in the US, offering a similar one-year subscription to Galaxy device users.
- Thursday – [see Current Date]: Bharti Airtel officially signed its partnership with Perplexity.
- Now: The offer is live and Airtel customers can start activating their subscriptions via the Airtel Thanks app.
What’s particularly noteworthy is that this is Perplexity’s first partnership with an Indian telecom provider—clearly underlining the potential the company sees in India’s massive user base.
How to Redeem the Subscription
For those of you wondering how all of this works—it’s fairly straightforward:
- Open or install the Airtel Thanks app on your mobile device.
- Log in using your Airtel account credentials.
- Find the Perplexity Pro offer and click ‘Activate’.
- You’ll be redirected to Perplexity’s portal to complete the setup.
No hidden steps. No payment. No catch for 12 months.
Why Perplexity Pro Is Making Waves
So what exactly makes Perplexity worth paying attention to? Short answer: it’s not just another chatbot.
Perplexity Pro is a real-time conversational search and answer engine known for delivering deeply researched, nuanced results. Unlike traditional engines that bombard you with links, Perplexity interprets your question and responds in human-like, readable responses—often with cited sources that you can delve into if you want to go deeper.
Features You Get with Perplexity Pro
- More daily searches with access to advanced AI models (like GPT 4.1 and Claude)
- Interactive, iterative querying—ask a follow-up and it remembers the context
- Upload documents or images for analysis and summary
- Use Perplexity Labs to test experimental tools and features
- No ads or interruptions
It’s the kind of tool you quickly grow to rely on—for everything from writing quick notes and emails to building a knowledge base on a complex topic. You don’t need to be a tech pro to use it—just curious and a bit open-minded.
Community Response and User Buzz
The news sparked immediate buzz on social platforms and within digital enthusiast forums. Industry observers were quick to label the partnership as a bold move in making high-quality AI tools mainstream in India. Many users have already begun sharing first impressions online—some praising the ease of integration with Airtel’s app, while others expressed surprise at the depth of information Perplexity provides.
One Reddit user wrote:
“I asked Perplexity to summarize a legal case I was working on—it didn’t just summarize, it pointed out arguments I hadn’t even considered.”
Of course, not everyone is convinced yet. A few mention uncertainty around privacy or data usage, and that’s fair. It’s the kind of tech where a learning curve and adjustment period are expected. Still, the overall sentiment? Cautiously optimistic.
What Perplexity Says
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas expressed enthusiasm for the Indian rollout, saying:
“With Perplexity Pro, users get a smarter, easier way to find information, learn, and get more done. Be it a student, working professional, or managing a household.”
This isn’t just about helping techies—it’s about making advanced tools available to everyday users in India’s buzzing digital space. And maybe that’s where the true shift lies.
What’s Next?
The Airtel-Perplexity partnership opens the door to more collaborations between telecom and AI companies in India. With providers like Jio and Vi likely observing closely, we might see similar offers spilling into the market. Consumers could even begin to expect such tools as standard service add-ons rather than special perks.
It also sends a message: partnerships like these are less about novelty, and more about necessity. If you can get something this powerful in your phone for free—wouldn’t you try it?
For Airtel, the move could be a small gamble that pays off big. For Perplexity, it brings them into the homes—and hands—of millions of new users. And for the rest of us, it’s one more reason to explore what modern AI can really offer if used the right way.
