Virgin Media O2 offers customers a helping hand for everyday tasks with free access to AI search engine Perplexity Pro

• 73% of Brits are open to embracing AI, according to new research from Virgin Media O2
• A huge majority (71%) already using AI believe it is making them better at their job
• 41% of those surveyed are using AI for personal and relationship advice
• As the exclusive carrier partner in the UK, Virgin Media O2 is offering broadband and mobile customers one years’ free access to the AI search engine, Perplexity Pro, exclusively through Priority from O2
• Find more about the Priority reward here

Virgin Media O2 has teamed up with Perplexity – the AI-powered search engine – to offer its customers one years’ free access to Perplexity Pro, an advanced AI-powered research assistant which enables users to harness technology to make their life and work a little easier.

Perplexity Pro (which usually costs over £150 per year) is available to all O2 and Virgin Media broadband customers via Priority from now until May 2025.

The new Priority reward comes as research from Virgin Media O2 reveals that 73% of Brits are increasingly open to using AI, with 61% of those surveyed having used it in the past six months and 71% stating that AI is making them better at their job. Half of Brits even admit to AI improving their life at home.

Perplexity Pro offers users advanced research capabilities for one of the most common activities we do every day: search for information online. But rather than just sharing a list of links to different websites, Perplexity provides fast, clear answers with trusted, in-line citations and uses the most powerful AI models available to provide detailed answers.

The new survey findings also uncover the top things that AI embracing Brits are using it for, from product reviews to travel and even dating advice:

• 76%: to help with everyday tasks (reminders and organisation)
• 67%: finding reliable product reviews and comparisons
• 59%: getting travel recommendations and planning trips
• 41%: getting personal and relationship advice

Those surveyed stated that they would consider using AI to help with managing money (56%), writing a break-up text (21%) and helping to train and communicate with their pets (15%) – suggesting that Brits are welcoming the technology as an everyday tool.

Lisa Johnstone, Director, Priority, Loyalty & Reward at Virgin Media O2, said: “Priority is committed to helping our members get the most out of life and get the best value from us, so we are thrilled to introduce our latest Perplexity Pro reward.

With more and more of us embracing AI to improve the way we work, shop and travel, the technology is becoming helpful in everyday digital life and we’re here to help our members navigate it with confidence. Whether our members want to plan a holiday or save money on their weekly shopping list, our new Perplexity Pro reward is like having an expert in your pocket to find the best deals and manage day-to-day needs. And save members over £150 in the process.”

Dmitry Shevelenko, Chief Business Officer of Perplexity, said: “Everyone deserves instant, reliable answers to their questions without needing to sift through endless web pages and SEO-driven content. Instead, Perplexity delivers this experience in a way that prioritises trust and the user experience. Virgin Media O2 not only makes it possible for people to use Perplexity on their devices, but they are also taking their commitment to their subscribers a step further by giving them Perplexity Pro free for a year.”

A free year of Perplexity Pro, available now to Virgin Media O2 customers, allows users to enjoy boosted daily use of Pro Search – the advanced search engine feature that breaks down queries into smaller steps, generating deeper and more comprehensive results. Pro users can also ask questions through a conversational interface using Perplexity’s voice mode.

Perplexity Pro also allows consumers to choose between the latest advanced AI models, including Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet, OpenAI’s GPT-4 Omni, and Perplexity’s Sonar model (built on Meta’s LlaMa 3.1).

To access the offer customers can head to Priority via the app or online by May 2025.