TLDR: Taz Patel, who led advertising and shopping at AI search startup Perplexity, has left the company after a nine-month tenure. His departure comes as Perplexity’s advertising efforts reportedly generated modest revenue, with figures around $20,000 in Q4 2024.
Taz Patel, the head of advertising and shopping at the artificial intelligence search startup Perplexity, has departed from the company after serving for nine months. The news of his exit was reported around September 1, 2025, highlighting a significant change in the leadership of Perplexity’s nascent advertising division.
Patel joined Perplexity in December 2024 with the mandate to develop and scale the company’s emerging advertising business. Prior to his role at Perplexity, he held the position of chief revenue officer and co-founder at Captiv8, an influencer-marketing firm that was acquired by Publicis Groupe in May 2025.
Sources indicate that Perplexity’s push into advertising has yielded modest revenue thus far, with reports suggesting the ad business generated approximately $20,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024. This figure underscores the challenges and early stages of revenue generation for the AI search platform’s advertising initiatives.
Also Read:
- Google to Significantly Expand Advertisements Across its AI Search Mode
- Amazon Unveils Alexa+ with Advanced Generative AI for Seamless Conversations and Enhanced Shopping
In response to Patel’s departure, Ryan Foutty, Perplexity’s vice president of business, issued a statement to Adweek. Foutty remarked, “It’s been great to have Taz on our team, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Perplexity is driven by velocity and curiosity, so our work continues unchanged and we still partner with the world’s best marketers and merchants who want to experiment and develop the best consumer experiences for the AI age.” This statement suggests that the company intends to continue its advertising strategy despite the leadership change.
