At the Detroit Free Press, our mission is clear: Deliver trusted journalism and content that strengthens and informs our community. That mission doesn’t change in the age of AI — it becomes even more essential.
As part of the USA TODAY Network, the Free Press has announced a partnership with Perplexity, an AI-powered search and answer engine that combines large language models with real-time web search. What does that mean? It means Perplexity’s search results and AI-curated answers will be based on the credible journalism created by your local newsroom.
Perplexity is prioritizing news and information that is accurate and relevant. Trusted content from USA TODAY and select USA TODAY Network publications, including the Free Press, will be available for Perplexity’s new agentic web browser, Comet.
By licensing our content to Perplexity, we’re doing two things:
Championing local journalism
From school board and city council decisions to weather alerts and breaking news, our local stories matter — and they deserve to be part of the AI knowledge ecosystem. This partnership ensures that when users ask questions about their communities, they get answers grounded in our verified reporting.
Creating value for our newsroom
We believe quality journalism has value. This agreement recognizes that and provides new revenue that supports our journalists and the work they do every day. It’s a model for how publishers are evolving and adapting and how AI companies can collaborate responsibly — with proper attribution and fair compensation – to contribute to the information ecosystem.
As Perplexity noted in their Comet announcement: “The quality of knowledge has never mattered more.”
We echo that sentiment. This partnership is about making sure Perplexity includes the voices from local communities — and the journalists who serve them. Because when AI answers questions about your world, it should start with the people who know it best.