Perplexity Launches Mobile AI Assistant for Android

Perplexity has expanded its AI "answer engine" into a mobile assistant for Android. This new assistant not only answers general questions but also performs tasks like writing emails, setting reminders, booking reservations, and more.

The assistant is multimodal, meaning it can interpret what's on your screen and use your phone's camera to "see" the world around you. For instance, as demonstrated by a user, asking the assistant to “get me a ride” prompts it to learn your destination and automatically open Uber with available ride options.

Hands-On Experience

A user shared their experience using Perplexity’s assistant, praising its efficiency and versatility. For example:

• Playing Media: When asked to “open a good podcast,” the assistant quickly launched a podcast episode on YouTube.

• Object Recognition: Using the phone’s camera, the assistant successfully identified a promotional Pokémon pack from McDonald’s, even recognizing that is a recently launched campaign.

• Task Automation: It also helped draft and send a text message by pulling information from the user’s contacts.

Integration and Limitations

While Perplexity’s assistant integrates with popular apps like Spotify, YouTube, Uber, as well as email, messaging, and clock apps, its capabilities are currently limited in scope. It doesn’t yet support apps like Slack or Reddit and can’t perform certain actions, such as leaving comments on YouTube videos.

According to Perplexity spokesperson Sara Platick: “We’re continuing to add support for more apps and more functionality though, so this is just the starting point.”

How to Enable the Assistant

To start using the assistant, Android users can enable it through the Perplexity app, which allows the assistant to replace the default phone assistant. Once enabled, it can be accessed by swiping up on the left corner of the screen or holding down the home button.

Unfortunately, the assistant isn’t available for iPhone users yet. Platick commented on this, saying: “If Apple gives us the right permissions, we’ll make it happen.”

Competitive Landscape

Perplexity’s launch comes at a time when other tech giants are enhancing their AI assistants. For instance:

• Samsung recently introduced the Galaxy S25, featuring the Gemini-equipped AI assistant.

• Google has also updated its assistant to handle cross-app tasks and multimodal requests.

Perplexity’s assistant adds another player to the AI assistant market by focusing on task automation and multimodal features tailored for Android users.

What This Means

With its new mobile assistant, Perplexity is making strides in turning its AI capabilities into practical, user-friendly tools. While limited in app support, the assistant’s ability to handle multimodal tasks sets it apart as a flexible solution for everyday use. The expansion of functionality and support for additional apps could solidify its position in the competitive landscape of AI assistants.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.