Hello, my followers! Today, let’s talk about Perplexity and its recent integration with Yelp data for its chatbot.

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas shared with The Verge that chatbots are being used more and more like regular search engines. This is why it makes sense for Perplexity to offer information directly from the source when people ask for recommendations, such as restaurants from Yelp.

According to Srinivas, Perplexity’s initial focus was on fact checks and research, but they realized research can extend to various topics, like finding good coffee shops for coffee addicts. This led to the integration with Yelp for maps, reviews, and other details.

Perplexity’s approach of mixing text and links when answering questions has been a selling point compared to other chatbots. Srinivas mentioned that Yelp’s data allows them to provide a variety of ways to answer questions, including maps, photos, and reviews.

The partnership between Perplexity and Yelp is part of Yelp’s Fusion program, allowing third parties like Perplexity access to highly trusted local data. This integration will enhance users’ experience by providing reliable local search results.

Perplexity is not the only AI company making deals for up-to-date information sources. Google reportedly pays Reddit for real-time data, while OpenAI partners with news publishers for training data. Perplexity plans more integrations in the future, possibly with providers of shopping or financial data.