According to a Digiday report, Perplexity is betting big on creators. The company has been hiring for a creator and influencer lead. The report states that Perplexity knows creators are the best way to reach big audiences. This signals that the AI search company sees creator partnerships as a distribution strategy.

But the report also notes that AI companies face a tricky sell: to convince creators to advocate for a technology that many fear could threaten livelihoods. That tension is central. Creators may be wary of promoting tools that could automate or replace some of their work.

For creators, the development raises questions about monetisation and channel strategy. The report does not detail what form these creator efforts will take, or what compensation might look like. Our reading is that if Perplexity builds creator programs, there may be new sponsorship or partnership opportunities. But the terms are not specified in the evidence.

Our reading is that this is a distribution play. Perplexity wants creators to bring its product to audiences that might not trust AI companies. For creators, the opportunity is a potential new revenue stream, but the risk is reputational if their audience sees AI as a threat. The report does not say how Perplexity will address that fear.