The Perplexity AI Business Fellowship is a selective executive program launched in early 2025 to help senior professionals learn how to implement artificial intelligence in real business environments without needing technical or coding skills. The program targets managers, directors, and leaders with at least five years of experience in strategy, go-to-market, operations, or leadership roles who want to drive AI adoption inside their organizations.
The fellowship is structured around short weekly commitments of roughly two hours, delivered through virtual workshops, fireside chats, and peer sessions. Participants learn how to design, test, and deploy no-code AI solutions for business use cases such as research automation, decision support, customer intelligence, and internal workflow optimization.
A defining feature of the fellowship is its practical orientation. Rather than focusing on theory or programming, the curriculum emphasizes strategic frameworks, hands-on experimentation, and real projects tied to participants’ organizations. Fellows work directly with AI tools and platforms while learning from experienced founders, executives, and product leaders.
The fellowship also builds a global peer network, bringing together professionals from more than 30 countries and diverse sectors including finance, law, healthcare, consulting, and technology. This cross-industry structure allows participants to exchange ideas, compare use cases, and learn how AI is being adopted across different organizational contexts.
Vision and Purpose
The fellowship was created in response to a growing gap between AI capabilities and business leadership readiness. While AI tools have become more powerful and accessible, many organizations struggle to integrate them strategically due to lack of executive understanding and ownership.
The program’s core goal is to make AI a leadership skill rather than a purely technical function. It trains senior professionals to ask the right questions, identify high-impact opportunities, manage change, and guide responsible adoption inside their teams.
By focusing on strategy rather than coding, the fellowship lowers the barrier to entry for experienced professionals who are best positioned to influence organizational direction but may lack technical backgrounds.
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Program Structure
The fellowship operates as a part-time virtual program designed to fit into demanding professional schedules. Each week typically includes one or two live sessions and optional asynchronous materials.
Sessions include:
Virtual workshops on no-code AI tools and business workflows
Fireside chats with founders and industry leaders
Peer discussions and collaborative problem-solving
Hands-on project development using real organizational challenges
Participants are encouraged to apply what they learn immediately inside their companies, turning the fellowship into a live laboratory for experimentation rather than a purely academic exercise.
Learning Model and Curriculum
The learning model is built around three pillars: strategic thinking, practical implementation, and peer learning.
Strategic thinking focuses on how AI reshapes competitive advantage, decision-making, operations, and customer relationships. Participants learn how to evaluate AI opportunities, prioritize initiatives, and align them with business objectives.
Practical implementation emphasizes no-code tools that allow leaders to build AI-powered workflows without engineering support. This includes designing prompts, structuring information pipelines, and integrating AI into everyday business processes.
Peer learning enables participants to learn from each other’s experiments, failures, and successes across industries and regions.
Application and Selection
Applications for the fellowship are submitted through short online forms shared on Perplexity’s careers page or official links. Applicants provide a CV and a short statement explaining their interest in AI and their goals for participating.
Selection prioritizes leadership potential, strategic mindset, and readiness to commit time to the program rather than technical expertise. The program explicitly welcomes non-technical backgrounds and values diversity of professional experience.
For the 2026 cohort, applications closed on February 28, 2026, with cohorts filling quickly due to global demand.
Participant Profile
Typical participants include senior managers, directors, founders, consultants, legal professionals, financial analysts, healthcare strategists, and product leaders.
Many come from non-technical backgrounds but hold decision-making authority inside their organizations. This positioning enables them to turn learning into action quickly, often launching AI pilots or internal tools during the fellowship.
Tools and Benefits
A major benefit of the fellowship is two years of free access to Perplexity Enterprise Pro for participants’ organizations. This allows fellows to continue experimenting and scaling AI solutions after the program ends.
The combination of tools, community, and executive-level framing distinguishes the fellowship from traditional AI courses or certifications.
Global Community and Networking
The fellowship cohort spans over 30 countries, creating a network of professionals who share challenges and insights across cultures and markets.
This diversity exposes participants to different regulatory environments, customer expectations, and operational constraints, enriching strategic thinking and adaptability.
Expert Perspectives
“AI leadership is less about coding and more about decision-making, culture, and responsibility.”
“No-code tools democratize AI, allowing business leaders to experiment directly instead of waiting on engineering.”
“Peer learning accelerates transformation because leaders trust each other’s lived experiences more than abstract frameworks.”
Program Timeline
| Phase | Description |
|---|---|
| Application | Submit CV and interest statement |
| Selection | Review for leadership and strategic fit |
| Onboarding | Orientation and tool access |
| Weekly Sessions | Workshops, talks, and peer learning |
| Project Phase | Build and test AI use cases |
Fellowship Benefits
| Benefit | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Workshops | Learn strategy and tools |
| Fireside chats | Learn from industry leaders |
| Peer network | Share real experiences |
| Enterprise tools | Apply learning inside organizations |
Takeaways
• The fellowship targets senior professionals with 5+ years of experience
• No technical or coding skills are required
• Weekly time commitment is about two hours
• The program emphasizes practical business implementation
• Participants gain long-term access to enterprise AI tools
• Global peer networks support ongoing learning
Conclusion
The Perplexity AI Business Fellowship represents a shift in how organizations approach AI education. Instead of training engineers, it trains leaders. Instead of teaching syntax, it teaches strategy. Instead of simulating problems, it encourages real experimentation inside real businesses.
By equipping senior professionals with practical tools, strategic frameworks, and a global community, the fellowship helps organizations bridge the gap between AI potential and execution. For leaders navigating digital transformation, the fellowship offers not just knowledge but confidence and momentum.
As AI continues to reshape competitive landscapes, programs like this may become essential for modern leadership.
FAQs
Who is the fellowship for?
Senior professionals with at least five years of experience in leadership or strategy roles.
Is technical knowledge required?
No, the program focuses on no-code implementation.
How much time does it take?
About two hours per week.
Can non-tech professionals apply?
Yes, many participants come from finance, law, and healthcare.
What happens after the program ends?
Participants retain tool access and continue applying AI inside their organizations.
