The embarrassment Personal computerits answer to OpenClaw and other local AI agents, is now available to all Mac users via the company’s desktop app was announced on Thursday.
As a reminder, Personal computer is an extension of Perplexity’s general purpose multi-model digital worker named, confusingly, Perplexity Computer. “Personal Computer”, meanwhile, is designed to bring these features to your own device. It does this by allowing AI agents to access local files, applications and connections, as well as the web, in order to handle each user’s personal multi-step workflows.
Or, as the company describes the Personal Computer, it “takes the PC out of the cloud-only world and onto the device where most of your real work already happens.”
The goal is to capitalize on the growing demand for local AI agents, popularized by OpenClaw, that can perform tasks on behalf of users. But while OpenClaw presented several safety hazards Because of its increased permissions, solutions like PC are meant to offer users a safer AI-enabled computing environment. (Or at least that’s the claim.)
Perplexity’s PC was was introduced last month, but was limited to Perplexity Max subscribers and included a waiting list. Today, the company says that anyone on a Mac can now try out the software as part of the new Perplexity Mac app. (Anyone can download the new app, but PC requires a Pro or Max subscription.)
At launch, the software can work with your local files, native Mac applications, and run on the web. It can also orchestrate tools, files, use over 400 connections, and leverage your personal environment, all within a secure development environment on Perplexity’s servers.
When paired with Perplexity’s AI-powered Comet web browser, it can run web-based tools without the need for direct connections.
Designed to run as standalone agents on an always-on device like a Mac Mini, Personal Computer is even remotely accessible from your iPhone, where you can initiate tasks or approve requests from your device.
Perplexity suggests that it can be used for all types of work, such as working with spreadsheets, documents, and projects with many different materials. Because the tool can work across apps, agents could do something like compare two files from different apps or pull notes from one app to create a clipboard in another.
As a result of its general availability, Perplexity says its older Mac app will be retired in the coming weeks so the team can focus on the Personal Computer app.
The new Mac app is available as direct download only for now; not in the Mac App Store.
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