Perplexity shipped two major updates to its Comet browser in late February: a revamped voice mode powered by OpenAI's GPT Realtime 1.5, and an autonomous agent called Perplexity Computer that can run multi-step workflows for hours or months without supervision.
The voice upgrade lets users control the browser entirely by speech: open tabs, navigate sites, ask about on-screen content, and switch between tabs without losing conversational context. CEO Aravind Srinivas announced the rollout on X on February 24, calling it "the first time you can fully control the browser hands free." Perplexity claims tool-call stability improved by over 25%, though that's a company-reported figure. The voice mode is live on desktop and Android, with iOS arriving alongside Comet for iPhone on March 11.
Computer is the bigger bet. It accepts a high-level goal, breaks it into subtasks, and delegates each to whichever of its 19 backend models fits best. Claude Opus 4.6 handles core reasoning, Gemini runs deep research, GPT-5.2 covers long-context recall. The system connects to Gmail, Slack, Notion, GitHub, and other tools. VentureBeat reports the announcement pulled 12 million views on X within 20 hours. Computer is exclusive to Perplexity Max subscribers at $200/month, with Pro and Enterprise tiers planned.
Perplexity positions Computer as a controlled alternative to OpenClaw, the open-source autonomous agent that went viral earlier this year after a Meta researcher publicly described it nearly wiping her email inbox. Computer runs tasks in sandboxed environments and pauses for human approval before sensitive actions like sending emails or pushing code.
Bottom Line
Perplexity Computer orchestrates 19 AI models as an autonomous agent for $200/month, while a new GPT Realtime 1.5 voice mode makes Comet the first browser with full hands-free control.
Quick Facts
- Voice mode powered by OpenAI's GPT Realtime 1.5
- Company-reported 25%+ improvement in tool-call stability
- Perplexity Computer orchestrates 19 AI models
- Computer available to Max subscribers at $200/month
- Comet for iPhone launches March 11, 2026
