Optus is strategically joining forces with Perplexity, a rising star in the artificial intelligence field, to make advanced digital tools more accessible to its mobile customers. This partnership will provide eligible mobile subscribers, including startups and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a free 12-month subscription to Perplexity Pro. Valued at AUD $300, this AI-powered search and productivity platform presents a valuable opportunity for businesses aiming to leverage the transformative capabilities of AI. The offer is available to both new and existing Optus prepaid and postpaid mobile users, with a deadline of December 31, 2025, encouraging prompt action and adoption.
Strategic Shift Towards AI Empowerment
This collaborative effort marks a key element of Optus’ broader AI strategy. Following the discontinuation of its internally developed AI features, such as Call Notes and Call Translate, this initiative signals a refined strategy focused on supporting both individual consumers and businesses within Optus’ vast mobile network. By offering access to sophisticated AI tools designed to boost productivity and foster innovation, Optus is positioning itself as a leader in digital transformation. While Optus has not disclosed the specific number of SME clients eligible for this advantageous offer, the offer’s universal applicability across its entire mobile customer base ensures extensive reach and impact.
Unveiling the Power of Perplexity Pro
Perplexity Pro stands out as a complete AI solution, providing users with the ability to perform unlimited AI searches utilizing a wide array of top-tier AI models. These models include OpenAI’s GPT-4o, Anthropic’s Claude 3, and Perplexity’s proprietary Sonar engine. This multi-engine approach assures robust performance and access to a broad spectrum of AI functionalities. The platform also allows users to analyze uploaded files, such as PDFs and spreadsheets, enabling rapid insights generation. This capability is invaluable for content creation, document summarization, and in-depth market research, catering to a broad range of both everyday and business applications. By helping users save time and make better-informed decisions, Perplexity Pro showcases the potential of AI to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Visionary Perspectives on AI Accessibility
Anthony Shiner, the Chief Customer Officer at Optus, expresses a compelling vision, stating, “AI shouldn’t be reserved for experts or tech insiders. We believe all Australians deserve access to tools that make life easier, more productive, and more informed.” This statement emphasizes Optus’ commitment to democratizing AI, ensuring that its benefits are more widely accessible, thereby leveling the playing field and promoting digital inclusion. Optus understands that AI capabilities are not just for the tech-savvy elite; they should be accessible to everyone, empowering them to navigate daily life and professional endeavors with greater ease and efficiency.
Ryan Foutty, the Vice President of Business at Perplexity, echoes this sentiment, adding, “Our partnership with Optus allows us to extend AI’s benefits to a broader Australian audience, helping users confidently navigate the digital world.” This collaboration exemplifies a mutually beneficial relationship, where Optus leverages Perplexity’s AI expertise to deliver tangible value to its customer base, while Perplexity gains access to a larger market, accelerating its growth trajectory. For Perplexity, partnering with Optus is more than just expanding reach; it’s about contributing to a society where AI empowers individuals to confidently navigate the digital landscape.
Activation and Accessibility Considerations
The Perplexity Pro subscription requires manual activation through a code provided by Optus via email or SMS. This activation process ensures that only eligible customers can access the offer, maintaining its exclusivity and maximizing its value. It’s important to note that access to Perplexity Pro is contingent upon internet connectivity, which may be limited in areas with inadequate broadband infrastructure. This highlights the ongoing need to bridge the digital divide and ensure equitable access to technology across all regions. The offer does not automatically renew after the 12-month period, and pricing details beyond that timeframe remain unannounced, encouraging users to carefully consider their long-term needs and budget. The promotion is exclusively available to Optus mobile customers, excluding users on competing networks like Telstra or Vodafone, thereby improving customer loyalty and strengthening Optus’ competitive advantage. This strategic exclusivity underscores Optus’ commitment to rewarding its customers and distinguishing itself in a competitive market. This exclusivity reinforces the value proposition for Optus customers and encourages those on other networks to consider switching to take advantage of this offer.
Addressing Australia’s Generative AI Adoption
This strategic move directly addresses Australia’s relatively modest generative AI adoption rate. According to Deloitte Insights 2024, Australia’s adoption rate stands at 54 percent, lagging behind the Asia-Pacific average of 67 percent. By providing broad, cost-free access to advanced AI tools, this initiative stands out from other costly or limited-access programs, potentially driving wider adoption and propelling Australia towards greater digital maturity. By removing financial barriers and providing accessible training and support, Optus and Perplexity aim to stimulate greater usage and integration of AI across various sectors. This initiative serves as a catalyst, encouraging businesses to explore the transformative potential of AI and accelerate their digital journey.
Perplexity AI: A Rising Star in the AI Landscape
Founded in 2022, Perplexity AI has quickly risen to prominence as a leading provider of AI-powered search and summarization solutions. The company handles over 400 million queries monthly and captured 6.2 percent of the AI search market in 2025. This impressive growth trajectory underscores the increasing demand for AI-driven information retrieval and analysis. The company has secured approximately US$1.2 billion in funding from prominent investors, including SoftBank, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos, and is currently in negotiations for an additional $500 million funding round at a $14 billion valuation. This substantial financial backing reflects the market’s confidence in Perplexity’s future prospects and its potential to disrupt the search and information landscape. Perplexity AI’s rapid ascent is a testament to its innovative approach and the growing need for more intuitive and efficient ways to access information. Perplexity’s success also underscores the power of AI to transform how we search, learn, and make decisions.
Empowering Startups through AI
Perplexity extends its support to startups through a dedicated program that offers six months of free access to Perplexity Enterprise Pro and $5,000 in API credits. This initiative aims to assist early-stage companies in accelerating their growth by leveraging the power of AI tools, providing them with a competitive edge in today’s dynamic business environment. By providing access to its advanced AI tools and resources, Perplexity empowers startups to accelerate their innovation, streamline their operations, and achieve their business goals faster. Perplexity’s commitment to supporting startups reinforces its mission to democratize AI and make its benefits accessible to everyone.
Tangible Benefits for SMEs
SMEs that subscribe to Perplexity Pro through Optus stand to gain a multitude of benefits. These include:
- Accelerated Research: Expedited and reliable answers to significantly streamline research processes, enabling SMEs to make quicker and more informed decisions. The ability to quickly access and analyze information is crucial for SMEs to stay competitive and make strategic decisions.
- AI-Driven Automation: AI-driven automation capabilities to optimize marketing efforts, automate report summarization, and facilitate the simple creation of dashboards, thereby freeing up valuable time and resources. Automating repetitive tasks allows SMEs to focus on more strategic initiatives, driving growth and innovation.
- Unlimited AI Searches: Unfettered access to unlimited searches across a diverse array of AI models, ensuring comprehensive coverage and access to the most relevant information. Having access to a wide range of AI models ensures that SMEs can find the best solution for their specific needs, regardless of the complexity of the task.
- File Analysis Capabilities: Robust file upload and analysis capabilities to bolster data-driven decision-making, enabling SMEs to extract actionable insights from their data assets. By unlocking valuable insights from their data, SMEs can make more informed decisions and optimize their operations for greater efficiency.
- Flexible AI Model Switching: The flexibility to seamlessly switch between AI models tailored to specific tasks, ensuring optimal performance and adaptability to diverse requirements. Switching between different AI models enables SMEs to adapt to changing business needs and optimize performance for various tasks, ensuring they always have the right tool for the job.
While Perplexity Pro significantly enhances productivity, it’s important to acknowledge that it is not a fully integrated business management platform. It serves as a powerful tool to augment existing workflows and processes, but it does not replace the need for comprehensive business management solutions. Perplexity Pro empowers businesses to leverage the power of AI to improve efficiency and decision-making, but should be seen as complementary to existing business systems.
The partnership emphasizes that technology like the AI driven functionality of Perplexity Pro is a key component to assisting and bolstering an Australian entrepreneurial spirit.
Launch and Redemption Details
The free 12-month Perplexity Pro offer was launched on June 2, 2025. Eligible Optus prepaid and postpaid mobile customers are required to redeem the offer by December 31, 2025, adhering to the specified timeframe to avail themselves of this valuable opportunity. The limited redemption window encourages quick action and maximizes the impact of the initiative. This time-sensitive nature of the offer creates a sense of urgency, motivating customers to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity and integrate AI into their workflows. This limited timeframe promotes wider adoption of the tools amongst subscription holders and allows for greater data analysis around the effectiveness of the program overall.