Gannett Co. Inc. has joined Perplexity's Publisher Programme through a strategic content licensing agreement announced July 30. The partnership integrates premium journalism from USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network's 200+ local publications into Perplexity's AI-powered search experiences, marking one of the largest U.S. media partnerships for the AI search company.
Under the agreement, Gannett's content will be accessible in Perplexity answers, including on the company's newly released agentic web browser Comet, currently available to Perplexity Max subscribers and daily releases from a growing waitlist. Gannett employees will receive access to Perplexity's Sonar API and Enterprise Pro across the organisation.
Perplexity positions the partnership as addressing content quality issues in digital publishing, where publishers have been "forced to game SEO systems, stuffing keywords and chasing metrics that don't reflect genuine value to audiences." The company argues its AI-powered answer engine rewards quality, accuracy, and relevance over traditional search optimisation tactics.
The collaboration provides Gannett with new revenue streams and broader content distribution through AI-powered channels. Perplexity's system provides users with accurate answers and clear citations to authoritative sources, ensuring publishers receive attribution for their content contributions.
The agreement allows Gannett to maintain focus on producing in-depth journalism while accessing new digital distribution channels through AI technology. Perplexity describes the partnership as creating pathways for quality content to reach audiences requiring reliable information without replacing traditional journalism.
The partnership demonstrates how major media organisations are diversifying revenue through AI content licensing agreements. Gannett gains access to Perplexity's enterprise tools across its workforce while monetising existing content assets through new AI-powered distribution channels that complement traditional publishing operations.
This agreement signals growing enterprise adoption of AI-powered information services as traditional media companies seek revenue diversification strategies. The partnership model provides publishers with attribution-based content distribution while offering enterprises access to curated, authoritative information sources. Media organisations can leverage existing content investments for new revenue streams while maintaining editorial control and brand recognition through citation systems integrated into AI responses.