Perplexity adds vertical search tabs for shopping, travel, and media

Perplexity is no longer just returning blocks of text with citations. The AI search engine just rolled out dedicated answer tabs for images, video, travel, and shopping.

The update lets users search across these specific categories all in one place. It is already live on the web version, with mobile apps getting the feature soon.

Moving into vertical search

Until now, looking up hotel ideas or comparing gadgets on Perplexity meant reading through long AI summaries and clicking inline source links.

By adding dedicated tabs, Perplexity is bringing familiar search behavior into its conversational interface. Users can jump straight into visual results, video clips, travel planning, or shopping options without re-prompting the model.

Why it matters

Perplexity is clearly gunning for Google's most lucrative real estate.

Travel and shopping are where traditional search makes real money because they sit right next to purchasing decisions. We think building out these vertical tabs is a necessary step if Perplexity wants to be a daily driver rather than just a research tool.

It is definitely worth trying out on the web for your next trip or purchase. But the real test will be accuracy: travel and shopping demand real-time pricing and stock data, areas where AI agents still have a lot to prove.