In a bold move signalling the rise of generative AI in India, telecom giant Airtel has joined forces with Perplexity AI to offer a new suite of AI-powered services to its massive user base. At Picasso Multimedia, we believe this collaboration not only reflects a technological shift but also carries substantial implications for digital marketers, brands and consumer behaviour across the country.
What Is the Collaboration?
On 17 July 2025, Airtel announced a partnership with Perplexity AI, under which Airtel’s entire subscriber base—which spans mobile, broadband and DTH services—would be eligible for a 12-month free subscription of Perplexity Pro, a premium generative-AI service typically priced at around ₹17,000 annually.
This marks Perplexity AI’s first major tie-up with an Indian telecom operator.Users can redeem the offer via the Airtel Thanks app.
Why It Matters: Strategic & Marketing Impacts
For Airtel:
- The partnership strengthens Airtel’s positioning as a tech-forward telecom brand, integrating generative-AI tools into its user benefits.
- It opens potential revenue streams and data insights: as users engage with Perplexity Pro, Airtel can learn usage patterns, tailor services, improve user stickiness.
For Perplexity AI:
- Access to tens or hundreds of millions of Indian users gives massive scale and footprint.
- India becomes a key market for generative-AI adoption, and the telecom bundling model may serve as a blueprint.
For marketers and digital agencies (including Picasso Multimedia):
- Content and campaigns need to adapt: when consumers have easy access to advanced AI search and generative tools, brand communication must stand out, be more authentic and value-driven.
- The user behaviour landscape shifts: instead of traditional search queries, users may engage via AI assistants, subtler conversational queries or deep-dive research. This affects SEO, content strategy, ad targeting and UX design.
- Marketers must consider how to integrate or leverage AI experience: e.g., offering branded prompts, AI-friendly content, enabling value via generative-AI tools as part of the user journey.
What Users Get with Perplexity Pro via Airtel
The offer includes features such as:
- 300+ Pro searches per day.
- Access to advanced AI models (such as GPT, Claude).
- File analysis, image generation and deeper research tools.
- Real-time answers with citations, elevated from traditional search lists.
Key Considerations & Potential Challenges
- User expectations vs reality: Some users and developers have raised concerns that the Airtel-bundled version of Perplexity Pro may not be identical to the fully paid version in capability — citing slower responses, less depth in insight, missing visuals or citations.
- Privacy and data governance: With AI tools getting deeper access and more personal usage (file uploads, image generation, conversational search), both Airtel and Perplexity must ensure transparent data policies. In India especially, regulation and consumer trust are key.
- Business sustainability: While the 12-month free model is impressive, what happens after year one? Will users convert to paid? Will Airtel bundle further, or will the offering drive churn? Agencies like Picasso Multimedia should monitor these dynamics.
- Content strategy shift: For brands, relying purely on keyword-based SEO may not suffice. Content must be optimized for AI visibility, conversational search, context and trust. The user receiving answers from AI may skip traditional webpages — meaning brands must adapt to new entry points.
What This Means for Brands & Marketers
Here are actionable take-aways for digital marketing teams (and agencies like Picasso Multimedia):
- Elevate content quality and authenticity: With more users leveraging AI search, brands must ensure their content is authoritative, trustworthy and aligned with search intent in a conversational way.
- Think about AI-friendly UX and integrations: If users are using AI to consume, create or research, provide experiences (chatbots, voice-friendly pages, integrations with generative-AI tools) that align with that behaviour.
- Leverage co-branding or partnerships: Airtel’s model shows telecom + AI bundle works. Brands can explore collabs (e.g., content platforms, edtech) to integrate generative-AI value.
- Track new user-journey metrics: Beyond clicks and impressions, measure how users engage with AI-delivered content (e.g., downloads, prompt engagement, deep searches) and adjust analytics accordingly.
- Prepare for post-free period: If your brand strikes partnership deals or user benefits, strategize for retention beyond the incentive period. Build value beyond free access.
Conclusion
The Airtel-Perplexity collaboration is a landmark in India’s digital and telecom landscape. It demonstrates how generative AI is moving from niche to mainstream, and telecom providers are becoming enablers of AI access. For digital marketing agencies like Picasso Multimedia, it signals a new paradigm: the convergence of telecom, AI, content, and user-experience.
Brands and marketers who adapt quickly — optimizing for AI‐driven behaviour, focusing on authenticity, and integrating AI into their user journeys — will differentiate themselves in this next phase of digital engagement.
Because in an era where AI becomes the gateway to information and creativity, your brand’s ability to engage, connect and provide value will determine whether you ride the wave or get left behind.