Perplexity’s Personal Computer Now Available to All Mac Users
Perplexity has made its Personal Computer, a local AI agent designed for Mac users, accessible to everyone through its desktop app. The company announced this availability on Thursday.
To recap, the Personal Computer is an expansion of Perplexity’s multi-model digital worker, known as the Perplexity Computer. This new offering aims to bring those capabilities directly to your device by allowing AI agents access to local files, applications, and connectors for handling personal workflows.
Perplexity describes its Personal Computer as “taking Computer out of the cloud-only world and onto the device where most of your real work already takes place.” The goal is to cater to the growing demand for local AI agents popularized by OpenClaw, which can perform tasks on users’ behalf.
Security and Accessibility
While OpenClaw presented security concerns due to elevated permissions, solutions like Personal Computer are designed to offer a safer computing environment. The new app allows users to access tools from local files, native Mac apps, and the web within a secure development environment on Perplexity’s servers.
The software is now available for anyone on a Mac through the company’s new Perplexity Mac app, though Personal Computer requires a Pro or Max subscription. It can also work with web-based tools using Comet, Perplexity’s AI-powered browser, and run autonomous agents on an always-on device like a Mac Mini.
Capabilities of Perplexity’s Personal Computer
- Takes Local Work to Your Device: The Personal Computer allows users to work with spreadsheets, documents, and projects using different materials directly on their Mac. Agents can compare files from various apps or pull notes from one app to create a draft in another.
Users can also access the tool remotely via their iPhone, initiating tasks or approving requests from that device.
Future of Perplexity’s Mac App
In light of its wider availability, Perplexity plans to deprecate its older Mac app in the upcoming weeks. This focus will be on the Personal Computer app as developers look to enhance and improve it for users.
Currently, the new Mac app is only available directly through download; it’s not yet in the Mac App Store.
Key Takeaways
- New Accessibility: Perplexity’s Personal Computer is now accessible to all Mac users via its desktop app, marking a significant shift from cloud-only solutions.
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