Perplexity is redefining what it means to use AI. Today, the company introduced Perplexity Computer, a system that doesn't just answer questions or complete tasks—it executes entire workflows, running for hours or even months without human intervention.

What It Is

Perplexity Computer is a general-purpose digital worker that operates the same interfaces a human would: a real browser, a real filesystem, real tool integrations. Users describe an outcome. The system breaks it into tasks and subtasks, creates sub-agents for execution, and coordinates the work asynchronously. One agent drafts a document while another gathers the data it needs. Dozens of Perplexity Computers can run in parallel.

When the system encounters a problem, it creates additional sub-agents to solve it—finding API keys, researching supplemental information, coding applications if necessary. It only checks in when it truly needs human input.

Why Now

The company's argument is straightforward: frontier AI models are becoming so capable that the products built around them are the bottleneck. And as models specialize rather than commoditize, no single model can do everything. Opus 4.6 excels at reasoning. Gemini handles deep research. Nano Banana generates images. Veo 3.1 creates video. Grok delivers speed. ChatGPT 5.2 offers long-context recall.

Perplexity Computer orchestrates all of them, deploying the right model for each subtask automatically. Users retain choice and control—they can specify which models to use for which work.

The Evolution

Perplexity frames this as a natural progression. The company built its reputation on accurate answers, then built Comet, an AI-native browser, and Comet Assistant, a personal AI agent. Deep research followed, then persistent memory, then tasks. Each step expanded what users could accomplish.

Computer unifies every capability into a single system. Chat interfaces have answers. Agents can do tasks. Computer creates and executes entire workflows.

The Name

The company reaches back to 1757 for context. Mathematician Alexis Clairaut employed two "computers"—the title for apprentices at the time—to refine Edmond Halley's comet predictions. Working day and night for months, they split the work and predicted Halley's Comet's perihelion within two days of accuracy.

The word has evolved. The meaning hasn't: autonomous division of complex work, with accuracy as the central necessity.

Availability

Perplexity Computer is available today to Perplexity Max subscribers. Enterprise Max users will gain access soon. Every task runs in an isolated compute environment with real tools, real browsers, and real filesystems—a safe harness for powerful AI, universally accessible without localized setup.