Perplexity launches new Sonar API for real-time AI search integration in third-party apps

Perplexity has launched Sonar, an API service that allows businesses and developers to integrate its generative AI search tools into their applications, extending Perplexity’s AI search engine capabilities beyond its current platforms. A standout feature of Sonar is its real-time Internet connectivity, which sets it apart from traditional AI models that rely on pre-existing data. This connectivity enables Sonar to provide answers informed by trusted sources, while the API also supports customizable source selection, allowing for tailored search results.

Sonar is available in two versions: a cost-effective base version and Sonar Pro, which is designed for handling complex queries with more detailed responses and a higher number of citations. The base version of Sonar is priced at $5 per 1,000 searches, with additional costs for input and output words, while Sonar Pro has a dynamic pricing structure due to its ability to perform multiple searches, starting at the same base rate.

Sonar Pro has reportedly outperformed models from Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic in the SimpleQA benchmark, which measures factual correctness in AI chatbot responses