New Delhi: Bharti Airtel has officially ended the claim period for its complimentary Perplexity Pro subscription, a premium artificial intelligence service that was bundled with select mobile and broadband plans. The promotional window to activate the 12-month free access closed on 16 January 2026.
Why this matters now Subscribers who previously activated the generative AI service are now receiving mandatory prompts to enter payment details to retain access. Concurrently, Airtel has shifted its digital benefits strategy to a new creative platform, offering Adobe Express Premium to its customer base.
Key Highlights
- Offer status: Claim period ended on 16 January 2026
- Who is affected: Airtel mobile, DTH, and broadband users
- Immediate action: Update billing details to avoid service pause
Core facts
Airtel partnered with Perplexity AI in July 2025 to provide a 12-month Pro tier subscription, valued at approximately ₹17,000, to its prepaid, postpaid, broadband, and DTH customers. The redemption period for this promotional offer ended on 16 January 2026. New users can no longer activate the complimentary AI service through the Airtel Thanks app. Existing users who successfully claimed the offer before the deadline are entitled to retain Pro features for one full year from their initial activation date. Recent global policy updates from Perplexity AI now require all active trial users to update their payment details with a valid credit or debit card to continue using the service. Accounts will automatically shift to Perplexity’s free basic tier after the 12-month validity expires, or immediately if payment details are not provided after the grace period.
Impact and official response
Users have reported that their Pro access is being actively paused or restricted until credit or debit card details are registered on the platform. Subscribers have expressed frustration on social media platforms regarding this sudden mandate, as the initial offer did not require financial information.
Perplexity AI communicated via email that the mandatory card requirement was implemented to protect the program from illegitimate users and ensure only genuine subscribers utilize the benefit. Both Airtel and Perplexity have clarified that registered cards will not be charged during the promotional period, though users must cancel before the trial ends to avoid auto-renewal charges.
While the Perplexity Pro onboarding window has concluded, Bharti Airtel has introduced a new digital partnership with Adobe. The telecom provider is now offering its 360 million subscribers a one-year complimentary subscription to Adobe Express Premium, which is valued at roughly ₹4,000. Unlike the revised Perplexity offer, Airtel explicitly stated that no credit card is required to activate the new Adobe benefit.
FAQs
Yes, the promotional window to claim the free Perplexity Pro subscription ended on 16 January 2026. The company has replaced this perk with a free Adobe Express Premium subscription for its users.
No. User data, including saved searches and interaction history, remains available under the free Perplexity tier once the Pro access expires or if the trial is cancelled.
Yes. Users can retain Pro features by subscribing directly through the Perplexity platform at the standard annual rate once their complimentary period concludes.
Airtel recently partnered with Adobe to provide 360 million users with a free one-year subscription to Adobe Express Premium, replacing the Perplexity AI offer.
Community prompt: Would you consider paying for an AI subscription after using it for free?
Disclaimer: This article is based on official in‑app disclosures, user notifications, and publicly available statements as of the published date. Offer terms, billing requirements, and bundled benefits are subject to change at the discretion of Airtel and Perplexity AI. Users are advised to verify current details through official platforms before taking action.
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