Bharti Airtel, India’s premier telecommunications giant, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with AI research platform Perplexity AI, offering its Pro subscription — valued at ₹17,000 annually — completely free to its 360 million+ subscribers. This unprecedented move marks a new era of AI democratization, making world-class artificial intelligence tools accessible to every Airtel user across India.
Under this collaboration, Airtel users will enjoy complimentary access to Perplexity Pro AI, an advanced AI-powered research assistant designed to deliver precise, real-time answers, summarized reports, and deep research insights — transforming the way individuals and businesses access information. The initiative is part of Airtel’s broader vision to bridge India’s digital divide by empowering users with cutting-edge technology, regardless of socio-economic backgrounds.
Airtel’s Bold Step Towards India’s Digital Future
Announcement : Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO of Bharti Airtel
“At Airtel, we have always believed that digital inclusion is the cornerstone of India’s progress. By partnering with Perplexity AI, we are putting the power of advanced artificial intelligence directly into the hands of millions. Whether it’s a student in a remote village, a startup founder, or a professional in a metro city — everyone will now have access to world-class AI research tools, absolutely free. This is not just a subscription giveaway; it’s an investment in India’s knowledge economy.”
The subscription, which typically costs ₹17,000 per year globally, will now be bundled at no additional cost with all Airtel mobile, broadband, and enterprise plans, effective immediately.
What is Perplexity Pro AI?
Perplexity AI is an emerging global leader in AI-driven research and knowledge discovery. Its Pro subscription offers:
- Real-time, verified answers from trusted sources
- Advanced summarization of complex topics and documents
- AI-assisted research with citations and data-backed reports
- Personalized knowledge feed curated by AI algorithms
- Ad-free, secure, and privacy-centric experience
The Pro version enhances user productivity by drastically reducing the time spent searching, verifying, and compiling information. With India’s digital literacy on a sharp rise, Airtel’s offering will position millions to harness AI for studies, business strategies, content creation, and informed decision-making.
Empowering Bharat: AI for Every Corner of India
This initiative is expected to have a far-reaching impact, especially in Tier-2, Tier-3 cities, and rural areas where access to premium digital services remains limited due to affordability constraints. Airtel’s digital inclusion drive aims to eliminate this barrier.
“Today, a school student in Bikaner can research space technology with the same AI tools used by a tech analyst in Bangalore. A farmer in Nashik can access latest agricultural insights, while a small business owner in Kanpur can stay updated with global market trends — all through Perplexity Pro, powered by Airtel,” said Shashwat Sharma, Director of Digital Initiatives at Airtel.
The rollout will be seamless across prepaid, postpaid, and broadband subscribers. Enterprise and business customers of Airtel Business will also receive bulk activation options for their teams.
Strategic Partnership with a Vision
The Airtel-Perplexity partnership is not just a promotional campaign but a strategic alignment to foster AI literacy and technological empowerment at the grassroots level.
Aravind Srinivas, CEO & Co-Founder of Perplexity AI, expressed his excitement:
“Perplexity’s mission has always been to democratize knowledge access through AI. Partnering with Airtel — a company that connects over a third of India’s population — accelerates this vision exponentially. We are thrilled to empower millions of Indians with our Pro AI tools, making information smarter, faster, and more accessible than ever before.”
Part of Airtel Advantage Program
This initiative is the latest offering under Airtel Advantage, Airtel’s program dedicated to delivering premium digital experiences to its customers at no extra cost. Previous offerings included complimentary subscriptions to Wynk Music, Airtel Xstream Premium, and Disney+ Hotstar.
With the addition of Perplexity Pro AI, Airtel further strengthens its positioning as a leading enabler of digital transformation in India.
About Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, Airtel ranks among the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. Airtel’s product portfolio includes 4G/5G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed-line services, high-speed home broadband, DTH, and enterprise solutions.
About Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered research assistant designed to help individuals and organizations find precise, verified answers and insights from a vast range of trusted sources. Headquartered in San Francisco, Perplexity AI is recognized globally for its intuitive interface, advanced summarization capabilities, and privacy-first approach in AI-driven information delivery.
