AI Prompts
Perplexity prompts.
Prompts for research and cited answers — get an overview with sources, compare options, fact-check claims and dig into papers. Tap to copy, then paste into Perplexity.
Tap Copy on any prompt, paste it into Perplexity, and replace the [bracketed] parts with your own details. Then use follow-up questions to dig deeper.
Research a topic
Overview with sources
Give me a clear overview of [topic], covering the key facts and why it matters. Cite a source for each main point and keep it to about 300 words, linking the most authoritative sources you find.
Latest developments
What are the most recent developments in [topic] from the last [30 days / 6 months]? Summarise what changed and when, and cite the news report or primary source for each item.
Key players
Who are the key people, companies and organisations involved in [topic]? For each, give a one-line description of their role and link a source that backs it up.
Background and history
Explain the background and history of [topic] — how it started, the major turning points, and where it stands today. Cite a source for each turning point.
Compare & decide
Compare in a table
Compare [option A] and [option B] for [use case or goal]. Put it in a table covering price, key features, pros and cons, and cite a source for each row.
Best options for my need
What are the best [products / tools / services] for [specific need and budget]? Give a shortlist of 3 to 5, with the standout pro and con of each, and link a recent review or source.
Pros and cons
List the main pros and cons of [decision or option] for someone whose priority is [priority]. Base each point on a source and cite it.
Help me choose
I'm deciding between [X] and [Y] for [context]. Ask me any questions you need first, then recommend one and explain the trade-offs, citing sources.
Fact-check & verify
Verify a claim
Is this claim true: "[paste the claim]"? Check it against current, reliable sources, tell me whether it's accurate, partly true or false, and cite the evidence.
Find the primary source
Find the original primary source for this statement: "[paste statement or statistic]". Link the source, note its date, and say whether more recent data exists.
Check a statistic
What is the latest figure for [statistic — e.g. the population of X / the inflation rate in Y]? Give the number, the date it's from, the source, and note if estimates vary.
Confirm or debunk
I've seen it claimed that [claim]. Is there good evidence for or against this? Summarise what the reliable sources actually say and cite them.
Deep dive & summarize
Summarize an article
Summarise this article in 5 bullet points, then note anything important it leaves out or any obvious bias: [paste URL or text].
Summarize a paper
Summarise this research paper in plain English: its question, method, key findings and limitations. Then say how strong the evidence looks: [paste URL or title].
Explain it simply
Explain [complex topic] as if to a smart beginner. Use a simple analogy, avoid jargon, and cite a source I can read to go deeper.
Academic & citations
Find peer-reviewed sources
Find 5 recent peer-reviewed studies on [topic]. For each, give the title, authors, year, a one-line finding, and a link. Prioritise sources from the last [5] years.
Cite a source
Give me a full citation for [source — paste URL or details] in [APA / MLA / Chicago] format, plus the matching in-text citation.
Research consensus
Give me an overview of the current research consensus on [topic]: what's well established, what's still debated, and the key papers on each side. Cite them.
Refine & follow up
Sources only
For your previous answer, list just the sources you used — title, publisher and link for each — and note which claim each one supports.
Narrow to a date range
Redo that answer using only sources published between [start date] and [end date], and tell me the publication date of each source you cite.
Focus the answer
That was too broad. Focus only on [specific angle or sub-question] and answer in [format — e.g. a short list / one paragraph], keeping the citations.
Go one level deeper
Go one level deeper on [point from the last answer]. Explain the mechanism or reasoning behind it and cite a source that backs it up.
How to prompt Perplexity
Perplexity is an answer engine, not a chatbot — it searches the live web and cites its sources, so it's at its best when you ask real research questions and demand citations. Be specific about what you want (a table, a shortlist, five sources) and the timeframe that matters, then use follow-up questions to narrow, verify or go deeper without retyping your context. Turn on Focus to limit a search to academic papers or a single site, and Pro Search for deeper, multi-step questions. Always click through to the primary source before you rely on an answer — the citation is the whole point.
FAQ
Does Perplexity cite its sources?
Yes. Perplexity is an answer engine that searches the live web and shows numbered citations next to each claim. Click a citation to open the original source and check it yourself — always read the primary source before relying on an answer.
How is Perplexity different from ChatGPT?
ChatGPT writes answers mostly from its training data, while Perplexity runs a live web search for every question and cites the pages it used. That makes Perplexity strongest for research, current events and anything where you need to trace a claim back to a source.
What are Focus and Pro Search in Perplexity?
Focus limits a search to a particular source type — such as academic papers, the web or a single site — so the answer draws only from there. Pro Search runs a deeper, multi-step search and asks clarifying questions. Use follow-up questions to narrow the answer without retyping your context.