Perplexity's estimated ARR rose to over $450M in March, jumping 50% in a month after the launch of a new agent tool computer and a shift to usage-based pricing.
Perplexity Computer is an AI-driven agentic workstation designed to act as a digital "operator." Unlike standard search engines or chatbots that only provide information, it is built to execute complex, multi-step workflows.
It functions as a centralized command center where the AI uses tools, browses the web, and manages files to complete specific projects.
It was officially introduced in early 2025. It represents Perplexity's shift from being an "answer engine" to an "action engine."
What can it do?
Execute End-to-End Tasks: It can handle high-level objectives like developing an app prototype, managing recruitment pipelines, or conducting deep-dive lead generation.
Manage Financials & Taxes: It has dedicated modules for tax preparation, including reviewing crypto transactions, calculating self-employment taxes, and auditing tax forms for errors.
Automate Research & Monitoring: Users can set the AI to "monitor" specific situations or topics, providing ongoing updates rather than one-off answers.
Integrated Workflow Tools: It features a specialized sidebar for:
Tasks: Organizing and scheduling long-term AI actions.
Connectors: Linking to external data sources and accounts.
Files: Analyzing and referencing uploaded documents within a project context.
Support Complex Logic: By leveraging powerful models like DeepSeek V3, it can reason through technical problems, write code, and structure business strategies from scratch.