New Delhi– In a major shift in the global AI race, Aravind Srinivas-led Perplexity AI has overtaken OpenAI’s ChatGPT to become the most downloaded free app on the Apple App Store.
The sudden rise comes after a strategic partnership with telecom provider Airtel, which now offers its users complimentary access to Perplexity Pro, a premium subscription valued at Rs 17,000 per year.
Perplexity Pro provides access to advanced AI models including GPT-4.1, Claude, Grok 4, and image generation tools. It also gives non-paying users early access to the company’s invite-only Comet browser.
While Perplexity has taken the top spot on iOS, ChatGPT remains the most downloaded app on the Google Play Store, where Perplexity is not yet available.
Google’s Gemini currently holds the fifth position on the App Store’s free app rankings.
To maintain its lead, OpenAI—under CEO Sam Altman—is focusing on its recently launched ChatGPT agent, a general-purpose AI assistant capable of tasks such as reading emails, browsing the web, and creating presentations.
OpenAI’s momentum was also reinforced earlier this year when its GPT-4-powered image generation tool went viral globally.
Still, in a fast-moving AI market, trends remain unpredictable. Elon Musk’s Grok experienced a spike in popularity following the release of Grok 3 and a viral trend involving Ghibli-style AI images. Meanwhile, China-based DeepSeek also made headlines earlier this year by launching models intended to rival ChatGPT.
Founded in 2022, Perplexity has rapidly emerged as a major player in generative AI. The startup tripled its valuation from $1 billion to $3 billion in the past year, reflecting strong investor and user confidence in its growth strategy and long-term potential. (Source: IANS)
