Partnership with AI Search Engine Perplexity Announced

The Ellwood City Ledger has announced a partnership with Perplexity, an AI-powered search and answer engine, to enhance its mission of delivering trusted journalism. In the age of AI, this mission becomes increasingly vital.

As part of the USA TODAY Network, The Ledger's collaboration with Perplexity means that search results and AI-curated answers will be based on credible journalism from local newsrooms. Perplexity prioritizes accurate and relevant news, with content from USA TODAY and select network publications available on its new agentic web browser, Comet.

By licensing content to Perplexity, The Ledger ensures that local stories, from school board decisions to breaking news, are part of the AI knowledge ecosystem. This partnership guarantees that users receive answers grounded in verified reporting when inquiring about their communities.

Creating value for the newsroom is a key aspect of this agreement. It acknowledges the value of quality journalism and provides new revenue to support journalists and their work. This model illustrates how publishers are evolving and how AI companies can collaborate responsibly with proper attribution and fair compensation.

Perplexity emphasized the importance of knowledge quality in their Comet announcement. This partnership ensures that local community voices and the journalists who serve them are included in Perplexity's offerings, as AI should start with those who know the world best.