Perplexity, an AI search company, recently secured nearly $500 million in funding and is now setting its sights on the e-commerce market to expand its services. The startup has introduced a new shopping hub to attract users and differentiate itself from competitors like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
With the backing of Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, Perplexity is planning to offer users product cards displaying relevant items in response to shopping-related queries. Additionally, the company is launching a “Merchant Program” to allow retailers to share product information with Perplexity, aiming to attract more merchants to their platform.
One of the key features that Perplexity is banking on is its “Snap to Shop” tool, which uses visual search technology to show products based on users’ photos of items. This unique feature is expected to set Perplexity apart in the e-commerce space.
Despite facing copyright lawsuits from major publications like The New York Post and WSJ’s parent company Dow Jones, Perplexity remains undeterred. The company, co-founded by Aravind Srinivas, a former researcher at OpenAI, Google, and DeepMind, is valued at nearly $9 billion after its latest funding round.
Srinivas, an alum of IIT Madras with a PhD in computer science from UC Berkeley, envisions Perplexity as the world’s leading knowledge-centric company. The startup’s expansion into e-commerce and its innovative features demonstrate its commitment to revolutionizing the search engine and shopping experience for users.
As e-commerce platforms increasingly integrate AI technology to enhance user experience, Perplexity’s move into the shopping space is a strategic one. By leveraging AI to provide accurate and rich responses to user queries, Perplexity aims to carve out a niche for itself in a competitive market dominated by tech giants like Google.
With its continued growth and innovation, Perplexity is poised to make a significant impact in the e-commerce and search engine industries. As the company navigates legal challenges and expands its services, it remains focused on its mission to provide users with a seamless and efficient online shopping experience.
