Carbon (Perplexity): RAG Frameworks

Founded 2022|Seattle, WA|1-10 employees|usage-based

What is Carbon (Perplexity)?

Carbon is a RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) framework that helps developers connect external data sources to Large Language Models. The platform provides pre-built connectors to ingest unstructured data from any source and load it into any destination, with AI-ready data processing that chunks, embeds, and cleans content for optimal LLM performance. Carbon was designed to simplify building RAG applications with features including credentials and content encryption at rest and in transit, full SOC 2 Type II compliance, and advanced data processing capabilities. In December 2024, Carbon was acquired by Perplexity AI to enhance their enterprise search capabilities, allowing users to search through files and work messages in Notion, Google Docs, Slack, and other enterprise applications.

Key features

Core capabilities this platform advertises.

Data connectors
Google Drive
Notion
Slack integration

Strengths and tradeoffs

What this tool does well, and the limitations to keep in mind.

Pros

Pre-built connectors for easy integration with multiple data sources
AI-optimized data processing with automatic chunking, embedding, and cleaning
Enterprise-grade security with SOC 2 Type II compliance and end-to-end encryption
Streamlined RAG development with production-ready infrastructure
Now backed by Perplexity AI with enhanced enterprise capabilities

Cons

Company was acquired and original standalone service is winding down
Pricing information not transparently available
Limited documentation on migration paths after acquisition
Uncertain future roadmap as integration with Perplexity progresses

Run Carbon (Perplexity) in production with Respan

10KFree traces/mo

1,000+Models

5 minSetup

Respan lets you trace LLM and agent calls across any model or framework, A/B test prompts on production traffic, and route requests across 1,000+ models through one gateway.

Try Respan free