Perplexity AI

AI-powered answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources

Elicit

AI research assistant for finding and analysing academic literature

Perplexity AI

Moderate

15/25

Elicit

Caution

8/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionPerplexity AIElicit

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Perplexity AI: US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently

Elicit: Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.

2/5

US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently

1/5

Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Perplexity AI: US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via DPA

Elicit: US-incorporated under Delaware law and subject to CLOUD Act; limited EU-specific legal protections are in place.

2/5

US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via DPA

2/5

US-incorporated under Delaware law and subject to CLOUD Act; limited EU-specific legal protections are in place.

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Perplexity AI: Enterprise plans offer zero data retention; no use of enterprise data for AI training

Elicit: Data handling for uploaded documents and queries should be verified against current terms; opt-out is unclear.

5/5

Enterprise plans offer zero data retention; no use of enterprise data for AI training

2/5

Data handling for uploaded documents and queries should be verified against current terms; opt-out is unclear.

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Perplexity AI: SOC 2 Type II certified; HIPAA BAA available for enterprise

Elicit: No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other recognised security certifications are currently published.

3/5

SOC 2 Type II certified; HIPAA BAA available for enterprise

1/5

No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other recognised security certifications are currently published.

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Perplexity AI: Strong for research-focused business use; US hosting limits EU data residency suitability

Elicit: Suitable for individual researchers with low-risk data; institutional European deployments require significant additional assurances.

3/5

Strong for research-focused business use; US hosting limits EU data residency suitability

2/5

Suitable for individual researchers with low-risk data; institutional European deployments require significant additional assurances.

Total Score

15/25

8/25

Best For

Perplexity AI

Best for teams on a tight budget.

Elicit

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls; teams on a tight budget; enterprises requiring SSO integration.

Detailed Comparison

Elicit vs Perplexity AI: Trust & Compliance Comparison

Elicit (Elicit, US) scores 8/25 overall with a Review Required (Caution) trust badge. AI research assistant for finding and analysing academic literature. Perplexity AI (Perplexity AI, Inc., US) scores 15/25 with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered answer engine that searches the web and cites its sources.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Perplexity AI leads with 2/5 vs 1/5.

●Elicit (1/5): Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.

●Perplexity AI (2/5): US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Both score equally at 2/5.

●Elicit (2/5): US-incorporated under Delaware law and subject to CLOUD Act; limited EU-specific legal protections are in place.

●Perplexity AI (2/5): US Delaware corporation subject to CLOUD Act; GDPR compliance via DPA

#### Data Retention & Training

Perplexity AI leads with 5/5 vs 2/5.

●Elicit (2/5): Data handling for uploaded documents and queries should be verified against current terms; opt-out is unclear.

●Perplexity AI (5/5): Enterprise plans offer zero data retention; no use of enterprise data for AI training

#### Certifications

Perplexity AI leads with 3/5 vs 1/5.

●Elicit (1/5): No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other recognised security certifications are currently published.

●Perplexity AI (3/5): SOC 2 Type II certified; HIPAA BAA available for enterprise

#### Regulatory Fit

Perplexity AI leads with 3/5 vs 2/5.

●Elicit (2/5): Suitable for individual researchers with low-risk data; institutional European deployments require significant additional assurances.

●Perplexity AI (3/5): Strong for research-focused business use; US hosting limits EU data residency suitability

Certifications at a Glance

Certification	Elicit	Perplexity AI
SOC 2 Type II	No	Yes

Overall Verdict

Perplexity AI has a clear trust advantage, scoring 15/25 compared to Elicit's 8/25. Perplexity AI particularly excels in data residency, data retention & training, certifications, regulatory fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Perplexity AI or Elicit?

Perplexity AI has a TrustKit score of 15/25 while Elicit scores 8/25. Perplexity AI currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Perplexity AI and Elicit compare on data residency?

Perplexity AI scores 2/5 for data residency (US-based AWS infrastructure; no regional data residency options currently), while Elicit scores 1/5 (Data is processed on US infrastructure only with no EU data residency option currently available.).

Are Perplexity AI and Elicit GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Perplexity AI has a regulatory fit score of 3/5 and Elicit scores 2/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

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