AI-powered search engine Perplexity has introduced a new feature known as Perplexity Assistant, designed to enhance user experience by integrating reasoning, search capabilities, and app functionalities into a single interface. This innovative assistant, now available for Android devices through the Perplexity app, is touted for its ability to perform “multi-app actions,” such as hailing a ride or searching for a specific song.
Capabilities of Perplexity Assistant
Leveraging the power of Perplexity’s search engine, the Assistant boasts access to the web, enabling it to perform tasks like setting reminders for events by accurately finding the date and time and subsequently creating calendar entries. The assistant’s multimodal capabilities allow it to utilize the phone’s camera to answer questions about the user’s surroundings or content displayed on the screen.
One of the standout features of Perplexity Assistant is its ability to maintain context across various actions. For instance, users can instruct the assistant to research local restaurants and automatically make reservations, streamlining the process significantly.
We are excited to launch the Perplexity Assistant to all Android users. This marks the transition for Perplexity from an answer engine to a natively integrated assistant that can call other apps and perform basic tasks for you. Update or install Perplexity app on Play Store. pic.twitter.com/FSRDLtVWzB
— Aravind Srinivas (@AravSrinivas) January 23, 2025
Initially, Perplexity Assistant will be available free of charge to users in 15 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Hindi. However, while the concept appears promising, past experiences with Perplexity’s product launches have raised some concerns. For example, the shopping feature, intended to facilitate orders without navigating to a retailer’s website, has been criticized for its sluggishness and tendency to produce errors.
Here are a few more examples of what Perplexity Assistant can do. We can’t wait to see how you use it.
Get it here: https://t.co/H4J9cr68So pic.twitter.com/F7ibSFfrgq
— Perplexity (@perplexity_ai) January 23, 2025
CEO Aravind Srinivas acknowledged in a series of posts on X that some functionalities of Perplexity Assistant may not always perform as expected. He indicated that improvements are on the horizon, particularly regarding the assistant’s ability to summarize unread emails and upcoming calendar appointments, which currently requires users to enable a notifications-based workaround.
The launch of Perplexity Assistant follows closely on the heels of the company’s recent introduction of Sonar, an API service that empowers enterprises and developers to integrate Perplexity’s generative AI search tools into their applications. Additionally, Perplexity has acquired Read.cv, a social media platform tailored for professionals.
Founded in 2022, Perplexity has successfully raised over 0 million in funding from venture capitalists and is currently valued at approximately billion. The company is experiencing rapid growth, processing over 100 million queries weekly while expanding its monetization strategies, including an advertising program.
However, Perplexity faces challenges, particularly legal disputes with publishers. News Corp’s Dow Jones and the NY Post have filed lawsuits against Perplexity, alleging a “content kleptocracy.” Several other news organizations have voiced concerns regarding the potential replication of their content, leading to a cease and desist order from The New York Times just last October. In response, Perplexity has emphasized its commitment to respecting publisher content through a revenue-sharing program.
