Perplexity Vehemently Denies Downgraded AI Service for Airtel Customers

AI search engine Perplexity has vehemently denied accusations that it is offering a downgraded or "Pro-Lite" version of its premium service to users of Indian telecommunications giant Bharti Airtel. The company asserted that claims circulating on social media, alleging that the free one-year Perplexity Pro subscription bundled with Airtel services is inferior to the standard paid version, are "absolutely false." This controversy has cast a spotlight on a landmark partnership aimed at bringing advanced AI tools to millions of users in India, raising questions about transparency and user expectations in the rapidly expanding AI market.

The partnership, announced in July 2025, was positioned as a significant move to democratize access to powerful AI technology. Bharti Airtel, a major player with approximately 360 million subscribers, began offering a complimentary one-year subscription to Perplexity Pro to all its mobile, Wi-Fi, and DTH customers.[1][2] This promotional offer, valued at around 17,000 rupees annually, was designed to give Indian users full access to Perplexity's premium features, including the ability to choose from advanced AI models like GPT-4.1 and Claude, perform up to 300 daily "Pro" searches, upload and analyze files, and generate images.[3][4][5][6] For Perplexity, the deal represented a massive distribution channel into the burgeoning Indian market, one of the largest and fastest-growing digital economies in the world.[2] The collaboration was hailed by both companies as a "game-changer," with Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas stating the goal was to make "accurate, trustworthy, and professional-grade AI accessible to more people in India."[1][7][6] The immediate impact was significant, with downloads of the Perplexity app surging and briefly overtaking competitor ChatGPT on Apple's App Store in India.[3][8]

However, the enthusiasm surrounding the launch was soon met with skepticism and user complaints. The controversy ignited on the social media platform Reddit, specifically within the r/developersIndia forum, where a user detailed a comparative analysis of three Perplexity accounts: a standard paid Pro account, a free account, and the Pro plan provided through Airtel.[9][10] The user alleged stark differences in performance, claiming the Airtel-bundled version provided slower responses, fewer and sometimes absent citations, and shallower insights without the visual elements like charts that were present in the paid version.[9][11][10] The post, which gained considerable traction, concluded that the offering felt more like a "stripped-down 'Pro-Lite' version" and criticized a lack of transparency from both companies about these perceived limitations.[9][10] These anecdotal reports spread across social media, fueling a debate among users about the authenticity of the offer and whether they were truly receiving the full premium experience as advertised.[12][13]

In response to the growing controversy, Perplexity issued a strong and unequivocal denial. Jesse Dwyer, the head of communications for Perplexity, directly addressed the allegations, stating, "I can assure you that it is absolutely false that Airtel customers get a different version of Perplexity Pro than our Pro (paid) subscribers."[14] The company labeled the claims as "misinformation" and suggested that such narratives are sometimes spread online to gain social media engagement.[9][13][15] Dwyer emphasized India's importance to the company and reiterated that Airtel users receive the identical, full-featured Pro experience available to paying customers globally.[12][13][16][15] Both Perplexity and Airtel have maintained that the partnership provides the complete Pro service, with all its advertised features, including access to advanced AI models, file analysis, and image generation.[12][16][15] The company's official help center for the promotion also details that users can "experience the full range of Perplexity Pro features."[17]

The incident highlights the critical intersection of business strategy, consumer trust, and technical performance in the AI industry. For AI companies like Perplexity, partnerships with large telecom operators offer a powerful shortcut to user acquisition on a massive scale, a crucial tactic in a competitive landscape dominated by giants like OpenAI and Google.[3][7] However, this strategy is not without its perils. The allegations, even if officially refuted, demonstrate the potential for user backlash if the delivered product does not align with marketing promises. The perception of a tiered or downgraded experience, particularly when advertised as a premium offering, can erode consumer trust not just in the specific companies involved but in the broader AI sector. This episode serves as a case study on the importance of clear communication and managing user expectations, especially when offering services at a scale of hundreds of millions of users, where even minor inconsistencies in performance can be amplified into widespread criticism. As AI tools become increasingly integrated into the daily digital lives of consumers, the transparency of such bundled offers and the veracity of the user experience will be paramount.