Lee Enterprises and Perplexity Partner to Revolutionize Local News with AI Innovation

Lee Enterprises and Perplexity have announced a partnership to integrate AI into local news delivery. “AI is reshaping the business models of industries around the world, and journalism is no exception,” said Kevin Mowbray, Chief Executive Officer at Lee Enterprises. “This partnership with Perplexity is a bold step forward in embracing change. By integrating AI into our operations, we’re excited to transform how we deliver news, support our advertisers, and engage with readers in ways that were never possible before. This is about creating a future where trusted local journalism thrives in the digital age.” Dmitry Shevelenko, Chief Business Officer at Perplexity, added, “We started our publisher program to develop strategic partnerships with news organizations whose content informs the questions people ask. We’re glad to welcome Lee Enterprises, whose media organizations span more than 70 US markets, as one of our newest members. We look forward to working with them to leverage our technology to power new reader-first experiences and to ensure a healthy and active information ecosystem.” The global AI market is projected to reach $500 billion by 2025, transforming industries worldwide, including media. Perplexity’s conversational AI search engine processes over 400 million queries per month, highlighting the vast potential to amplify the reach of Lee’s trusted journalism. This partnership positions Lee at the forefront of the AI-driven transformation in media, unlocking opportunities to expand its audience and diversify revenue streams.