Perplexity Personal Computer turns an old Mac into a local AI agent 24/7

Perplexity has launched Personal Computer — a tool that transforms a spare Mac into a 24/7 AI agent with full access to user files and applications. The new product installs on a separate device in your local network and runs continuously. Unlike most cloud-based AI assistants, Personal Computer operates directly on your hardware. You can manage it remotely — from any smartphone, tablet, or other computer, wherever you are. Essentially, it's a constantly-on AI node inside your home infrastructure.

Perplexity calls the product a "digital proxy for you." The system gains full access to the Mac's file system, installed applications, and user data. This unlocks capabilities unavailable to ordinary cloud assistants: the agent can search documents by content, automate routine tasks, manage files, and launch applications on your behalf — without transmitting data to third-party servers.

Personal Computer is a more advanced version of Perplexity Computer, which the company announced a month ago. That product represented a cluster of cloud agents positioned as a "universal digital worker." The new offering goes further: instead of an anonymous agent in the cloud, users get a system living directly on their device and familiar with their specific files, applications, and work habits. Personalization is the key differentiator.

Choosing a "spare Mac" is a deliberate marketing decision. A significant portion of the tech-savvy audience has outdated notebooks or desktop Macs sitting idle. Personal Computer transforms such a device into a useful infrastructure node — a kind of local AI server. The barrier to entry is minimal: you don't need to buy specialized hardware; you can use what you already have.

Perplexity's move fits into a broader strategy. The company built itself as a fast search engine with AI-powered answers, but the market is transforming. Users don't just want to receive information — they want to delegate tasks. Anthropic with Computer Use, OpenAI with Operator, Google with Project Mariner — all major players are rapidly developing agent capabilities. Personal Computer is Perplexity's answer to this trend, with an emphasis on locality and proximity to personal data.

The security question remains open. A system with full file access, operating 24/7 and managed remotely, presents a broad attack surface. The company claims local data processing, but security architecture details have not yet been disclosed. For users working with sensitive information, this is a key question before making a decision.

The market for personal AI agents is still forming. If Perplexity can convince users to prefer a local, always-available agent over cloud alternatives — this will be a serious point of differentiation against competitors with far greater resources.