AI startup Perplexity is under fire. Several media outlets have accused the company of copying content from websites without permission. Especially controversial: Perplexity is said to have bypassed blocks meant to prevent this.
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas denies the accusations. He speaks of misunderstandings and refers vaguely to the use of third-party providers. At the same time, he emphasizes that old rules for web crawlers need to be reconsidered in the age of AI. Critics see this as an attempt to shirk responsibility. Some publishers are threatening legal action.
The debate over Perplexity highlights a fundamental problem: how do AI companies handle third-party content? Perplexity now plans to share profits with some publishers. However, it is questionable whether this will be enough to calm the waters.
Sources: Pixel Envy, Wired, Axios, Fast Company