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Former USA TODAY Newsroom Hub in McLean, Virginia.

At USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network, 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.

USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network 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 27 USA TODAY Network publications will be available for Perplexity’s new agentic web browser, Comet.

The sites included are:

  • Detroit Free Press in Detroit, MI
  • Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in Milwaukee, WI
  • Arizona Republic in Phoenix, AZ
  • IndyStar in Indianapolis, IN
  • Courier Journal.com in Louisville, KY
  • The Enquirer in Cincinnati, OH
  • The Tennessean in Nashville, TN
  • NorthJersey.com in Bergen County, NJ
  • Delaware Online in Wilmington, DE
  • Palm Beach Post in Palm Beach, FL
  • Knox News in Knoxville, TN
  • The Columbus Dispatch in Columbus, OH
  • Des Moines Register in Des Moines, IA
  • Naples Daily News in Naples, FL
  • News-Press in Fort Myers, FL
  • Marco Eagle in Marco Island, FL
  • Asbury Park Press in Asbury, NJ
  • The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City, OK
  • Democrat & Chronicle.com in Rochester, NY
  • Tallahassee Democrat in Tallahassee, FL
  • Lohud in Westchester, NY
  • Akron Beacon Journal in Akron, OH
  • GoErie in Erie, PA
  • The Providence Journal in Providence, RI
  • Telegram & Gazette in Worcester, MA
  • Clarion Ledger in Jackson, MS
  • Florida Today in Brevard, FL

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.

Kristin Roberts is the president of Gannett Media | USA TODAY Network.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: We partnered with AI-powered answer engine Perplexity. Here's why it matters.

Reporting by Kristin Roberts / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect