What is Perplexity AI and why is it growing so fast?
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search engine that combines real-time search networks with large language models. Unlike ChatGPT, which has a knowledge shutdown and can hallucinate old information, Perplexity actively searches the web and presents answers with citations. This makes it a more reliable tool for research tasks where timeliness matters.
Perplexity had around 100 million active users at the beginning of 2026 and is growing rapidly in the Nordics. It should be on your radar both as a user and as a brand looking to appear in AI search results.
What Makes Perplexity Better Than Google?
Perplexity summarizes information from multiple sources into a composite answer instead of listing links. It saves time when you want to understand a topic quickly rather than navigating ten different websites. It is particularly strong for: market research and competitor analysis, technical documentation and comparisons, news coverage where you want a quick summary.
What Does Google Do Better Than Perplexity?
Google is still superior for local searches, e-commerce, navigational searches and for finding specific websites. Google Maps integration, Shopping results and local business listings are features Perplexity does not replicate. Google is also superior when the user knows exactly what they are looking for and wants to go directly to the source.
Why does your business need to be featured in Perplexity?
When a potential customer asks Perplexity "Which are the best web agencies in Jönköping?" do you want to be in the answer. The same logic as for GEO and Google AI Mode applies: Perplexity cites sources, and the cited sources get traffic and badges. The optimization logic is the same as for GEO: authoritative content, clear NAP information (name, address, phone) and consistent reviews on external platforms.
How do you use Perplexity productively in your work?
Perplexity Pro ($20/month) provides access to advanced models and the ability to upload files for analysis. Use it for quick market research, to understand technical concepts outside your expertise, or to get an overview of a new area before diving deeper.
