Perplexity AI’s quiet coup

Perplexity’s great leap forward

Perplexity AI is a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system launched in 2022 that answers questions directly by searching the web in real time, pulling from news sites, academic journals, and databases, then writing up a summary with accompanied search links. It uses AI models like GPT-4 and Claude 3 to understand your question, find the best information, and explain it in plain English. In February, Perplexity added a feature called “Deep Research,” which reads hundreds of sources, and reasons through the material to produce a very detailed, well-organized report. 

Then in April, Perplexity unveiled a new version of the company’s iPhone app, which provides a glimpse into the future of getting information from an always-present assistant. For starters, it became an actual assistant, rather than just being an AI search tool. It can now do things even Siri, Apple’s own assistant, can’t do — which is somewhat astonishing, given how closed and Apple-centric the company’s operating systems tend to be. 

For example, you can use your voice to ask Perplexity on your iPhone to play a song from Apple Music, open a podcast, set reminders, schedule calendar events, or even book a ride with Uber. It can scan your Apple Calendar and read out your appointments or add a reminder. It can bring up Apple Maps and give you directions or send an email through Apple Mail. 

About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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