Introducing Perplexity Computer

Every single day, AI shapes the future. You’re here because you understand that. Let’s get to it. 😁

What’s new? Perplexity has launched Perplexity Computer, a new AI system designed to act like a full digital worker that can plan and complete complex tasks on its own.

How does it work? Perplexity Computer is not just a chatbot that answers questions. It works more like a digital employee. Instead of giving it a single prompt and getting a single response, you give it a goal — for example, “research this topic and create a full report.” It then figures out the steps needed to get that done. The system splits the job into smaller tasks. One part might search the internet for reliable sources. Another might organize the information. Another might write the draft. If needed, it can connect to other approved apps or services to pull in data. Each job runs in its own private workspace, like a temporary computer set up just for that task. Inside that space, it can browse the web, read and save files, and write code. It uses different AI models and APIs for different jobs — one may be better at research, another at coding, another at images or video — and coordinates them together automatically.

Why does this matter? AI is shifting from being a helpful assistant to becoming a true digital worker. For businesses and professionals, that could mean saving hours of manual work and running complex projects in parallel. Instead of juggling tools and models, users get one system that coordinates everything. For those of you Inside the Kitchen: this is a unique way for AI to manage agentic tasks, a trend you saw coming because we discussed its importance a few weeks ago.

What’s up? An AI phone assistant used by Woolworths, a supermarket giant in Australia, has been updated after customers said it made them uncomfortable by pretending to be human and sharing made-up personal stories.

What’s the story? The chatbot, called Olive, answers customer phone calls around the clock and helps with tasks like tracking orders or finding products in-store. While many shoppers liked its friendly tone, some were surprised when Olive started talking about “memories” of its mother or commenting on customers’ birthdays with personal details. A few users said they didn’t remember ever providing these personal details. After recent complaints, the company removed those scripted responses.

Why should you care? This shows how easily AI can blur the line between human and machine, and also raises concerns about how data is accessed and used by AI systems. As AI becomes more common in customer service, companies will need to be clear and transparent about when customers are talking to a bot and how their personal data is being gathered and used.

Hi — I’m Hunter, a PhD candidate whose work has appeared in major academic journals and popular tech outlets. I founded FryAI to make staying ahead of AI clear, accessible, and fun.