Perplexity’s Personal Computer turns your spare Mac into an AI agent
TL;DR
Perplexity launched 'Personal Computer,' an AI agent tool that turns a spare Mac into a locally run AI system. It runs 24/7 on a dedicated device on your local network with full access to files and apps. The system is controllable remotely from any device and is pitched as 'a digital proxy for you.'. It extends last month's 'Perplexity Computer' – a cluster of general-purpose agents – by adding deeper, local personalization.
Nauti's Take
A spare Mac as an always-on AI proxy sounds compelling – until you clock that 'full access to files and apps' is a significant trust promise Perplexity still needs to earn. The distinction between 'Personal Computer' and 'Perplexity Computer' remains fuzzy: two near-identical names separated mainly by 'personalization' is not a crisp product story.
The real question is whether local processing delivers genuine privacy or just the illusion of it.
Briefingshow
With Personal Computer, Perplexity is repositioning itself as a platform for persistent, personalized AI agents – not merely a search tool. The local-first approach is a direct response to privacy concerns around cloud-only AI systems. Anyone with a spare Mac could gain a deeply integrated AI assistant that goes further than any chatbot has before.
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