Perplexity has started rolling out Personal Computer, a new Mac experience that extends its Computer agent from the cloud onto local machines. In a post on X and a longer product announcement, the company said the feature can orchestrate work across local files, native macOS apps, connectors, and the web. Rollout starts with Perplexity Max subscribers and people already on the waitlist.

What is shipping

Perplexity describes Personal Computer as the Mac app rebuilt around Computer, its web-based AI system. According to the help center and product page, it can search, read, and write files in connected folders, control native apps like Mail, Finder, Slack, Messages, and Notes, and operate the Comet browser directly from the desktop. The interface also adds voice mode and a floating task bar that can summon the agent anywhere on the Mac.

Perplexity says the software runs on any Mac with macOS 14 Sonoma or later. For always-on usage, the company is steering users toward a Mac mini that can stay online in the background, with remote task control from an iPhone or other device.

Why it matters

The release pushes Perplexity further into the desktop agent race, but with a hybrid model: its existing Computer product remains cloud-based, while Personal Computer adds access to local apps and files. Perplexity says actions run in an isolated sandbox, sensitive steps use on-device authorization, and Mac mini sessions are protected with 2FA. The company also says Computer can orchestrate teams across more than 20 frontier models for a given task.