Perplexity brings on-device AI workflow to Macs with 'Personal computer'

Perplexity's new 'Personal Computer' feature brings AI agents directly to Macs, allowing them to work across local files, apps, and web tools to automate everyday tasks

Most AI assistants today mainly operate through cloud-based chat interfaces. While they can answer questions, summarise information and generate content, they usually do not have direct access to the files, folders, and applications users work with on their devices. This often means users still need to manually move information between AI tools and their everyday apps.

 

Perplexity is now trying to close that gap with “Personal Computer” feature on its Mac app. Instead of limiting AI to a browser tab or cloud-based chatbot, the company is bringing its AI agents directly onto users’ Macs. The system can work with local files, interact with native Mac applications, access web tools, and complete multi-step tasks with minimal user intervention, said Perplexity. According to the company, Perplexity has been careful about one thing: control stays with the user. Sensitive actions require your approval before the AI proceeds.

What is Personal Computer?

Personal Computer is built on top of its identically named AI agent platform, which it said is designed to handle longer and more complex tasks automatically. With the new Mac integration, those AI capabilities now extend beyond cloud-based systems and onto users’ local devices.

 

According to Perplexity, the feature can run AI agents across local files, native apps, web tools, and cloud services while still relying on secure servers for some operations.

 

The goal is to reduce the need to constantly switch between tabs, applications, and files during work. Instead, users can assign tasks to the AI system and let it manage parts of the workflow automatically.

 

What the AI can do

 

Perplexity said Personal Computer can work with local folders, native Mac applications, browser-based tools, and more than 400 connectors. Connectors are integrations that allow the AI to access data from other platforms and services.

 

For example, users can ask the AI to organise files, compare documents, summarise PDFs, analyse spreadsheets, prepare reports, or combine notes from multiple apps into a draft.

 

The AI can also interact with web-based tools through Perplexity’s Comet browser. The company said users will remain in control of sensitive actions through approval prompts whenever needed.

 

Perplexity also highlighted that running the feature on a Mac mini allows the AI system to stay active continuously in the background. This enables AI agents to keep processing tasks while users focus on other work. Another feature is integration with Apple’s ecosystem. Users can reportedly start a task from an iPhone while the AI continues working on files and apps stored on their Mac. 

 

How Personal computer differs from other AI assistants

 

Most mainstream AI assistants, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, primarily rely on cloud-based systems. While these tools can integrate with apps and online services, the processing and AI operations are generally handled on remote servers rather than directly on a user’s device.

 

For example, ChatGPT mainly works through prompts and uploaded files shared by users during a session. Google Gemini connects with services such as Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Drive but every response still happens on Google's remote infrastructure, not users’ devices. Meanwhile, Microsoft Copilot integrates with Microsoft 365 apps through Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure.

 

Perplexity’s Personal Computer takes a slightly different approach by extending AI operations onto local Mac devices. According to the company, the system can work directly with files, folders, and native applications stored on a user’s machine. 

 

Availability

The new Perplexity macOS app is available starting today through the company’s website. It is currently not available on the Mac App Store. Perplexity also confirmed that the older version of its Mac app will be phased out in the coming weeks as the company shifts users to the updated app with Personal Computer support.