Perplexity Launches 'Personal Computer' AI Agent — Cloud-Based Computer Powered by AI

A New Model for Workplace Applications

Perplexity AI launched on March 12th its "Personal Computer" — a cloud-based AI agent that can run as a virtual computer. This follows the launch of Perplexity Computer two weeks earlier. The company is expanding aggressively into enterprise tools and positioning itself as an alternative to both Google and Microsoft in the workplace.

Relevance

Cloud-based AI "computers" represent a new model for workplace applications — and are driving prices down for everyone.

My assessment

Perplexity is an interesting underdog story: they move faster than Google and are cheaper than Microsoft. I've tested Perplexity Pro in several business contexts, and it's genuinely useful for research and decision support. A friend running a tech company switched his entire research stack to Perplexity last month. The "Personal Computer" concept is early-stage, but it points toward a future where the application model changes fundamentally.