Perplexity now has its own always-on AI agent

Perplexity's new AI agents are available, with the highest tier plan costing $200/month.

Perplexity has launched "Teammates," its new always-on AI agents designed to handle ongoing projects independently. Unlike its previous model for one-off tasks, Teammates operate on virtual machines with their own desktops and browsers, allowing for continuous work. Users can monitor progress and interact with these agents through dedicated threads within the Perplexity app or via Slack. This move places Perplexity alongside other major tech companies like SpaceX, Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic, which have already introduced similar AI agent services. Perplexity's Teammates are available on the premium Max plan, priced at $200 per month. This offering comes as Perplexity's annualized revenue has surpassed $750 million.

The introduction of always-on AI agents by Perplexity signifies a maturing market for AI assistants, shifting from task-specific tools to persistent collaborators. By providing agents with dedicated virtual environments, Perplexity enables continuous workflows and deeper project engagement, a capability previously limited to a few select players. This development intensifies competition among AI providers, pushing them to differentiate on agent autonomy, integration, and cost-effectiveness.

The tiered pricing structure, with Teammates exclusively on the $200/month Max plan, positions this advanced functionality as a premium offering. This strategy reflects a broader industry trend of segmenting AI services to cater to different user needs and willingness to pay, especially as the cost of running sophisticated AI models remains a significant factor. Users will need to evaluate whether the continuous, independent operation of these agents justifies the substantial monthly investment compared to existing solutions.