Perplexity launches Computer for Mac with local AI capabilities

Perplexity has introduced Computer, a new tool for Mac users designed to integrate personal computing with hybrid AI processing. Building on its previous Hybrid Compute technology, the tool allows users to run AI models both in the cloud and locally on their devices.

By executing processing directly on the Mac, the system aims to maximize privacy by ensuring personal information and sensitive data do not enter the cloud. The tool utilizes the computing power of Mac hardware to run models such as Qwen 3.6 or an optimized PPLX Pro version. With user permission, the local orchestrator can interact with local files and applications, including Notes, Messages, Mail, and Numbers, to perform complex multi-step tasks.

To ensure security, code and tool execution occur within isolated sandbox environments. Access to these local execution features is reserved for Perplexity Pro, Max, and Enterprise subscribers via the Mac app. Due to the high computational demands, the tool requires a minimum of 36 GB of RAM.