Perplexity Computer: CEO Aravind Srinivas unveils the company's "next big thing"

Aravind Srinivas, cofounder and CEO of Perplexity, has announced Perplexity Computer, which he's calling the company's "next big thing."

In a post on X, Srinivas described it as a unified system that brings together files, tools, memory, and AI models -- all working in coordination. "Computer unifies every current capability of AI into a single system," he wrote.



The core idea is that no single AI model excels at everything, so Perplexity Computer is built to be multi-model by design. Each model is treated as a specialised tool -- similar to how a computer's operating system calls on different programs for different jobs. Srinivas says the system currently orchestrates 19 models, with each handling a different function: one for reasoning, one for coding, one for writing, and so on.

Users can also assign specific models to specific subtasks, which gives them more granular control over cost, since different models carry different token costs.

Quoting Steve Jobs -- "Musicians play their instruments, I play the orchestra" -- Srinivas drew a direct comparison to how Perplexity Computer operates.

The system is initially available to Max (Perplexity's top subscription tier) users, with usage-based pricing rather than a flat rate.

Srinivas termed this as "the right business model for AI instead of ads" -- a comment that reads as a pointed reference to OpenAI's reported interest in ad-supported products. Pro users will get access once load testing is complete.

Srinivas also articulated the broader vision: when an AI can coordinate a local file system, command-line tools, a live web browser, and third-party service integrations, it effectively becomes the computer itself, running tasks autonomously in the cloud.