By Kausar Madhyia
Publication Date: 2026-09-17 23:40:00
Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots may have become a staple on mobile screens around the world, but this omnipresence does not necessarily mean that there’s no scepticism around their usage.
American pop culture is filled with tropes of sentient beings trying to take over the world.
It comes as no surprise to the pop-culture-wary that AI firms spend handsomely on PR agencies and clever campaigns to endear their bots to the regular Joe.
The real plot twist, however, is these tech giants stepping out from behind the screen to launch brick-and-mortar cafes aimed at acquainting people with the wonders of AI.
Perplexity AI launched Cafe Curious in September of 2025 in South Korea’s Seoul, a key strategic growth market for the company.
Morita Jun, Perplexity’s head of Asia, commented on the launch, describing Cafe Curious as “a space for Perplexity users to share knowledge and curiosity, where more people can experience the joy of exploring with AI.”
Rather than embodying the spirit of a sterile electronics store, Cafe Curious has been designed with comfort in mind.
With its plush seating, warm ambient lighting, AI merchandise and AI-generated playlist, the cafe invites visitors to try its artisanal coffees, teas, handcrafted beverages, and light snacks, and it very subtly gives them a 50% discount if they are a Perplexity Pro subscriber; non-subscribers can scan on-site QR codes for a one-month free trial too.
That’s not the only plug-in, though. There is also a dedicated…
