Perplexity Targets Pros With 'Computer' and 'Max'
Perplexity is making a major push into professional workflows, launching two new powerful tools. The first, "Perplexity Computer," is a unified AI system for managing entire projects from research to deployment. The second, "Perplexity Max," is a multi-agent tool that orchestrates 19 different AI models to execute complex tasks, routing requests to the best model for the job.
This strategic pivot from "answer engine" to "action engine" marks Perplexity's most aggressive move beyond search. The company, founded in 2022 by Aravind Srinivas, Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, is betting its soaring valuation on the industry's shift toward "Agentic AI" that can execute tasks, not just provide information. This evolution is designed to transform the tool from a knowledge source into a digital worker that can manage entire projects. Perplexity Computer operates within a secure cloud sandbox, not locally on a user's machine. This approach is a deliberate security measure to avoid the risks associated with local AI agents, which CEO Aravind Srinivas has compared to malware. The system can browse the web, manage files, and integrate with tools like Gmail, Slack, and GitHub to complete complex, multi-step workflows without constant human supervision. The "Max" tier, priced at $200 per month, gives users access to Perplexity Computer and a suite of the most advanced AI models, including OpenAI's o3-pro and Anthropic's Claude 4.6 Opus. This premium plan is aimed at professionals and enterprise users who require extensive and unlimited use of AI for complex analysis and content creation. The introduction of a credit system for "Computer" tasks reflects the high computational costs of running nearly 20 models simultaneously. This focus on high-value professional and enterprise users signals a significant shift in Perplexity's business model, moving away from an ad-based revenue stream. The company is targeting users in sectors like market research, finance, and software engineering, where the ability to automate complex research and analysis provides a clear return on investment. This strategy has attracted clients like Universal McCann, Zoom, and HP. Based in San Francisco, Perplexity has seen its valuation climb rapidly, reaching a reported $20 billion. The company has raised $1.22 billion from investors including IVP, SoftBank Vision Fund, and Jeff Bezos. This war chest is funding its ambitious push to compete not just with search engines, but with a new wave of autonomous AI agents.
