Perplexity’s Big Shift: How Publishers Finally Get Paid for Their Content in AI Search

Perplexity has launched a new, transparent revenue share program for publishers, aiming to compensate media outlets when their content is used or referenced in AI-powered search results and tasks.

How Perplexity’s Revenue Share Works

Perplexity’s initiative introduces a subscription tier called Comet Plus, priced at $5 per month, that enables publishers to earn money through three channels:

  • Users will now be directed straight to publisher websites via the Comet browser.
  • When publisher content is cited in search answers.
  • When the AI agent uses content to fulfill user tasks.
    Unlike traditional ad-supported models, this program pools subscription revenues and distributes 80% directly to publishers, with Perplexity keeping 20% for operational costs.

Funding and Payouts

The program starts with an initial $42.5 million revenue pool dedicated to publisher compensation, with plans to grow this fund as subscriptions increase. Payments will be calculated based on how frequently a publisher’s content is used in AI search results, cited in answers, or utilized by AI agents.

Industry Impact and Reception

This model is one of the first by an AI startup to transparently share revenues based on actual content usage, representing a shift from the multimillion-dollar exclusive licensing deals common with AI giants like OpenAI and Google. This move comes as a response to criticism that AI tools exploit journalism without fair return and is intended to set a more balanced compensation model in the age of AI.

Publisher Participation

Perplexity is actively seeking major publishing partners and has previously worked with outlets like TIME, Fortune, the LA Times, Blavity, and Der Spiegel. While specific new partners for Comet Plus haven’t been disclosed, the company emphasizes that the program is open to collaboration and feedback from the media industry.

The Fresh Take

With the launch of Comet Plus and this revenue-share model, Perplexity is attempting to set a precedent for sustainable media monetization in the AI-driven web. It emphasizes transparency, direct payouts based on actual usage, and an open invitation to publishers to help refine the system—moving beyond ad clicks and traffic, toward a business model designed for the modern search experience.

Read more: Bloomberg, ET

Meta Teams Up with Midjourney to Bring Stunning Visuals to AI

Meta just dropped an exciting update for AI enthusiasts—it’s partnering with Midjourney to integrate their cutting-edge aesthetic technology into Meta’s future AI products. The goal? To make AI not just smart, but visually beautiful.

According to Meta, this collaboration is more than just a licensing deal. It’s a technical partnership where both research teams will work closely to push the boundaries of AI creativity. And honestly, it makes sense. Midjourney has already set the bar high in the world of AI-generated art, so combining that with Meta’s scale could be game-changing.

Meta is going all-in to deliver top-notch products—bringing together world-class talent, huge computing resources, and strategic partnerships with leading industry players. With Midjourney’s visual flair and Meta’s ambitious roadmap, this could reshape how we experience AI-generated content across social media and beyond.

The companies are keeping details under wraps for now, but they promise more updates soon. If this is just the beginning, the future of AI visuals might be a whole lot more beautiful.

xAI Open-Sources Grok 2.5: A Bold Move in AI World

Elon Musk is back in the spotlight, and this time it’s not about rockets or EVs. His AI company, xAI, just made a big announcement – Grok 2.5 is now open source. Yep, the same advanced language model that’s been grabbing attention is now free for developers and researchers to play with.

So Why Does This Matter?

Well, Grok 2.5 isn’t just another chatbot brain. It’s built to compete with the big guns like GPT and Google’s Gemini. By opening it up, xAI is giving everyone – from indie coders to tech giants – the chance to experiment, tweak, and build on top of a powerful model without paying hefty licensing fees.

What Makes This Different?

Here’s the interesting part: most AI companies keep their models under lock and key. But Musk is taking a different route, betting on transparency and community-driven progress. This move not only levels the playing field but also speeds up innovation in areas like chatbots, enterprise tools, and AI-driven apps.

Why Would Musk Do This?

Probably to challenge the growing dominance of closed AI ecosystems. Plus, let’s be honest, open-source projects often grow faster because thousands of brains work on them instead of just one company’s team.

What Does It Mean for Developers and Businesses?

For developers, this is honestly a big deal. Imagine building apps with serious AI power without burning through your budget – that’s what this unlocks. Businesses can finally tinker with custom AI tools without being stuck paying crazy fees to big vendors.

The Bigger Picture

And for the AI world? It feels like a push toward making this stuff way more accessible to everyone, not just big tech. It’s not just xAI making bold moves. OpenAI has also opened parts of ChatGPT to the public. Two new open-weight models—gpt-oss-20B and gpt-oss-120B—are now available under the Apache 2.0 license. The smaller one runs on laptops, while the bigger model works on desktops or cloud GPUs. This marks a clear trend: even AI giants are embracing openness, and xAI’s Grok 2.5 release shows the competition is heating up.

The Takeaway

Grok 2.5 going open source isn’t just another update in the news feed – it’s a bold move that could seriously shake up the whole AI race.

Eight Sleep Raises $100M to Boost AI Sleep Tech and Go Global

Eight Sleep just scored $100 million to power up its smart sleep gear and step onto the world stage. This startup uses AI to create digital sleep twins that help predict and improve rest. They’re also moving into medical tech, aiming to tackle sleep apnea and menopause symptoms with smart cooling. Since 2019, they’ve sold over half a billion dollars in sleep pods and are now shipping to 30-plus countries. With this fresh cash, Eight Sleep wants to get even smarter and expand into China soon. Sleep better, dream bigger!

Read more on: Techcrunch

Grammarly Launches AI-Powered Writing Assistants to Bridge Education Gap

Grammarly introduced eight AI-driven writing assistants and a redesigned document interface on August 18, transforming from a grammar tool into a productivity platform. These agents help students and professionals with grading, citations, reader insights, and expert reviews while maintaining authentic authorship. The update addresses the growing AI literacy gap, as many students feel unprepared for AI in the workforce. Built on technology from Grammarly’s recent acquisition of Coda, the new block-based design includes an AI Chat assistant. The rollout begins with Free and Pro users, with Enterprise and Education access coming soon.

Read more on: Grammarly

AWS CEO Criticizes Replacing Entry-Level Employees with AI

Amid rising unemployment among young tech professionals, industry leaders are divided over the role of AI in entry-level hiring. AWS CEO Matt Garman criticized replacing junior staff with AI, calling it shortsighted and warning about future talent gaps. Contrarily, OpenAI and Google leaders foresee AI soon replicating junior roles. Reports show new graduate hiring in tech has dropped sharply, with recent grads now a small fraction of new hires. Garman urges students to build adaptable, creative skills, while Amazon signals more workforce cuts, fueling the debate over AI’s place in the workforce.

Read more on: Entrepreneur

Bill Gates-Backed AI Competition: $1M Prize to Accelerate Alzheimer’s Research

The Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (AD Data Initiative), with support from Bill Gates and other partners, has announced a groundbreaking global competition: the Alzheimer’s Insights AI Prize. This contest offers a hefty $1 million reward to the team that develops the most innovative AI tool to advance Alzheimer’s and dementia research.

Why Focus on AI?

Alzheimer’s disease impacts millions of people worldwide. As the population ages, this number is expected to soar to 152 million cases by 2050. Traditional research methods can be slow and limited, but artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to change everything. This particular competition is looking for “agentic AI” solutions—AI that can plan, reason, and act independently, not just follow instructions. Such AI can help scientists analyze massive datasets, discover drugs faster, identify new biomarkers, and even improve clinical trials.

How Does the Competition Work?

Opened on August 19, 2025, the prize invites AI engineers, biomedical experts, and global innovators to submit their best solutions. The winning team’s tool will be shared for free on the AD Workbench—a cloud-based platform supporting worldwide collaboration among Alzheimer’s researchers.

What Makes Agentic AI Special?

Unlike other AI tools, agentic AI acts almost like a human collaborator. It can sift through enormous sets of information—like brain scans, genetic data, and patient records—spotting patterns that humans might miss. This could dramatically speed up our understanding of Alzheimer’s, enabling earlier and more effective interventions.

The Vision Ahead

For Bill Gates, the mission is personal and urgent. By encouraging global innovation with a $1 million incentive, the AD Data Initiative hopes to break new ground in Alzheimer’s research, bringing hope to millions of families worldwide.

Read more on: Technologynetworks, Geekwire, Alzheimersdata

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Go in India: Affordable and Feature-Packed

OpenAI, the company behind the popular ChatGPT, has launched a new version of its chatbot called ChatGPT Go in India. This launch is a big deal because it offers advanced features at an affordable price, making powerful AI technology accessible to more people in the country.

ChatGPT Go is designed to provide users with higher query limits than before. This means you can ask the AI more questions or have longer conversations without worrying about limits. For students, professionals, or anyone who uses AI daily, this is a valuable upgrade that improves productivity and interaction.

One of the exciting new features in ChatGPT Go is image generation. This allows users to create pictures and graphics just by giving simple descriptions to the AI. It can be very useful for creative projects, marketing, and social media content, opening up new ways to use AI beyond just text.

India is a fast-growing market for technology, especially AI, and OpenAI’s focus on affordability is smart. Many people in India are tech enthusiasts or professionals who want to use AI but may have been held back by high prices or feature limits before. ChatGPT Go could change that by bringing more users into the AI world.

Overall, the launch of ChatGPT Go in India is a significant step in making AI more inclusive and practical for everyday use. With higher query limits and exciting new features like image generation, it offers great value for its price. As AI technology evolves, affordable options like this will likely drive innovation and creativity across many fields in India and beyond. For anyone interested in AI, ChatGPT Go is worth checking out.

Read more: Openai

Nvidia’s New AI Chip for China: A Game-Changer in Technology

Nvidia, a leading name in artificial intelligence (AI) and graphics technology, is making exciting strides with its plans to develop a new AI chip specifically for the Chinese market. This chip will be based on Nvidia’s latest technology, marking a significant step towards strengthening AI capabilities in China while addressing unique market needs.

The rise of AI is transforming industries worldwide, and China, as a major tech hub, is eager to embrace this revolution. Nvidia’s new AI chip is expected to offer improved performance and efficiency, helping Chinese companies and developers process AI tasks faster and more effectively. This move also reflects the company’s strategy to cater to regional demands by creating technology designed to meet specific challenges faced in different markets.

One key reason behind Nvidia’s focus on China is the country’s vast and growing appetite for AI-powered applications. From smart cities and healthcare to robotics and autonomous vehicles, AI is becoming crucial in many areas. By delivering a chip tailored for these applications, Nvidia provides the tools China needs to stay at the forefront of innovation.

Another important aspect is that this new chip could help overcome restrictions related to technology exports and improve collaboration between Nvidia and Chinese tech companies. Designing a chip that complies with local regulations while maintaining top-tier performance is a smart way to expand Nvidia’s reach.

In conclusion, Nvidia’s development of an AI chip exclusively for China is more than just a business move; it’s a sign of how technology is adapting to meet global needs in unique ways. As AI continues to reshape our world, innovations like this will play a critical role in driving progress and unlocking new opportunities. Tech enthusiasts and industry experts will be watching closely to see the impact of this exciting development.

Read more: Reuters

Google to Pay AU$55 Million for Anticompetitive Deals with Australian Telcos

Google has agreed to pay a AU$55 million (US$36 million) fine following regulatory action by Australia’s ACCC for anti-competitive agreements with major telecom companies Telstra and Optus. Between December 2019 and March 2021, Google arranged deals that required these carriers to pre-install only Google Search on Android phones, blocking rival search engines. This practice limited competition and consumer choice. Google admitted the agreements substantially lessened market competition and has pledged to remove such restrictions in future contracts. The Federal Court will soon decide on the penalty’s approval. This resolution aligns with broader efforts to foster competition amid the rise of AI search technologies.

Read more: BroadbandBreakfast