AI has become so mainstream that companies are getting some of the most recognizable people on the planet to draw in more users.
Perplexity, the AI-powered search and answer engine that provides real-time responses with inline citations, has secured an investment from football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese athlete announced his involvement with the company in a post celebrating curiosity as a driver of greatness. “Curiosity is a requirement for greatness. You win when you keep asking new questions every day,” Ronaldo wrote. “That’s why I am proud to announce my investment in Perplexity. Perplexity is powering the world’s curiosity, and together we will inspire everyone to ask more ambitious questions.” While launching the partnership, Perplexity has created an interactive webpage that shows all of Ronaldo’s goals and where he’s scored them from.
The partnership marks Perplexity’s latest move to expand its reach through high-profile partnerships. Founded in 2022, the company has grown into a significant player in the AI search space, with over 150 million questions answered weekly. The platform differentiates itself from traditional search engines by synthesizing information from multiple sources and providing direct answers with citations, rather than simply listing links.
Perplexity is valued at $20 billion. The company offers both a free tier and Perplexity Pro, a premium subscription that provides access to advanced AI models including GPT-5, Claude 4.0, and Gemini Pro 3, along with features like file upload capabilities and increased search limits.
Big Names for Bigger Markets
The Ronaldo investment reflects a broader trend in the AI industry: as these platforms achieve massive scale, they’re turning to celebrity brand ambassadors and aggressive market expansion strategies to reach even wider audiences. ChatGPT ranks as the fifth most visited website globally, demonstrating the enormous mainstream appeal of AI tools. With 800 million weekly active users and 6.01 billion monthly visits, ChatGPT has become a household name, but the AI race is far from over.
As AI companies compete for users in an increasingly crowded market, they’re pursuing multiple strategies to drive adoption. One key approach has been making premium features accessible in emerging markets through partnerships with local telecommunications providers. In India, Perplexity partnered with Airtel to offer all 360 million of its customers a free 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription, valued at approximately Rs. 17,000. Google followed with a similar strategy, partnering with Reliance Intelligence to provide Jio’s 500 million users with free access to its AI Pro plan, including Gemini 2.5 Pro, for 18 months. .
Courting the Next Generation
Beyond telecom partnerships, AI companies are heavily targeting students and educators. Perplexity partnered with SheerID to launch a global student program offering verified students up to two years of free AI access through a referral system. Google, meanwhile, is giving away its Gemini Pro plan for free to Indian students.
The combination of celebrity endorsements, telecom partnerships, and student programs illustrates how AI platforms are moving from early adoption to mass-market penetration. As Ronaldo’s involvement with Perplexity demonstrates, AI has evolved from a niche technology product into a consumer brand that can benefit from the same marketing playbook as sports drinks, fashion labels, and streaming services. The competition for users is no longer just about having the best technology—it’s about having the biggest platform, the widest reach, and increasingly, the most recognizable faces promoting it.