Paytm App To Add 'Ask AI' Search Button From Google challenger Perplexity

Fintech platform Paytm has tied up with Silicon Valley-based artificial intelligence search engine Perplexity, which is seen to be an up and coming rival to Google, for an AI-powered search feature within the payments app, the chief executives of the two companies said on February 27.

“India is one of the most curious countries and it becomes important to democratise AI,” said Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO, Perplexity AI. Through the tie up, Paytm will introduce AI-powered features such as portfolio management, savings insights, expense tracking, and financial summaries. These AI tools will help users make better financial decisions, added the two executives.

Srinivas spoke at the Social Live Press Event, held virtually on February 27. At the event, Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma, along with Perplexity AI Co-founder and CEO Aravind Srinivas, discussed about AI, payments, and the future of innovation.

Srinivas met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year and shared insights from their discussion. He noted that the Prime Minister expressed concern about people using AI merely to complete tasks faster rather than fostering curiosity. Modi emphasized that making AI more accessible, particularly in Indian languages, is crucial. Enabling people to interact with AI in their native languages can drive faster adoption and encourage deeper engagement with the technology.

Srinivas said, "He (Modi) was also curious about how AI could develop smarter ways to solve problems—like how Vedic math simplifies calculations. Another key concern he raised was ensuring that people use AI not just to get work done faster but to stay genuinely curious.

On being asked if India should have its own foundational model, Srinivas said, "Yes, absolutely. Not just to ensure better representation of Indian languages, but also to develop the expertise and infrastructure needed to compete globally."

He further added that the country is already one of the fastest adopters of AI, especially among knowledge workers. But the next big step is making AI accessible to everyone, not just professionals.

"AI isn’t just for work—it can be useful in sports, fashion, shopping, travel, health, and fitness. Perplexity is designed to help in all these areas. We are also working on multilingual and voice-based experiences to make AI more intuitive for all users," said Srinivas.

Perplexity also recently introduced a new Voice Mode that integrates real-time voice and real-time information across multiple languages. The feature is currently available for iOS users, with an Android version expected soon. The company positions this development as a shift in how users interact with search, aiming to offer a more conversational experience compared to traditional keyword-based browsing.

Meanwhile, the discussion about digital payment and AI has been gaining momentum recently. A report by PwC titled “Revolutionising digital payments with the use of generative AI” says, “GenAI has the potential to revolutionise payments with a multifaceted approach, by boosting personalisation and security and increasing the efficiency of digital payments, thus benefiting both businesses and consumers alike.” The report further adds that Gen AI  has the potential to offer comprehensive solutions covering the entire payments lifecycle, including marketing and sales, customer onboarding, KYC compliance, customer service, and risk management.