By Ojasvi Gupta
Bharti Airtel on Thursday struck a first-of-its-kind partnership with US-based AI-powered search engine Perplexity, offering its 360 million customers a free 12-month subscription to Perplexity Pro, the premium version of the platform. The move positions Airtel as the first telco to bundle a GenAI productivity tool, shifting the focus from entertainment-based bundling to utility-driven offerings.
Telco Strategy towards AI
The collaboration gives Airtel users full access to Perplexity Pro, worth Rs 17,000 a year, which includes advanced capabilities powered by models like GPT-4.1 and Claude. Users can generate images, conduct in-depth research, upload files for analysis, and get professional-grade responses with real-time citations, tailored for students, professionals, and everyday digital tasks.
Industry analysts say the partnership could signal the beginning of a new bundling wave where telcos expand beyond OTT content and into productivity and AI-driven platforms. “What Airtel is doing here is fundamentally different, it’s putting a tool of intelligence and learning into the daily experience of its users,” said Raghav Gupta, founder and CEO of Futurense. “Just like Netflix was once the hook, now tools like Perplexity could be the next value-add,” he told Fe.
The Perplexity deal also marks the company’s first foray into India’s telecom space. “This partnership makes professional-grade AI accessible to students, professionals, and everyday users in India,” said Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity, in a statement. Airtel’s MD Gopal Vittal added that the initiative was designed to empower users to “navigate emerging digital trends with confidence and ease”.
According to Techarc’s Faisal Kawoosa, this bundling strategy also serves Airtel’s internal goals. “This isn’t just about offering AI tools outward, it’s about learning how users engage with GenAI so Airtel can embed intelligence across its service layers,” he said.
Other telecom players are expected to follow suit. “We’ve seen it with OTTs and music platforms. GenAI tools are the next logical step for operator-led bundling,” said Varun Mishra of Counterpoint.