What is Perplexity Computer?

Perplexity Computer Deep Dive: Use Cases for Founders & Productivity

Key Concepts:

• Perplexity Computer: An AI-powered search engine and workflow automation tool utilizing "agents" and "skills" to perform complex tasks. Requires a Max plan ($200/month as of recording).
• Agents: Specialized modules within Perplexity Computer designed for specific tasks (e.g., research, email drafting, data analysis).
• Skills/Tools: Capabilities integrated into Perplexity Computer allowing it to access and utilize external resources (e.g., Gmail, Google Drive, web browsing, data visualization).
• Sub-agents: Components within agents that handle specific sub-tasks, enabling parallel processing and complex workflows.
• Recurring Tasks/Monitors: Automated workflows that run on a schedule to provide continuous updates and insights.
• OpenClaw/Lindy AI: Competitor AI agent platforms, noted for their integration with messaging apps (iMessage, Telegram, Discord).
• Sonnet 4.6: A specific large language model (LLM) utilized by Perplexity Computer for various tasks.

1. Introduction & Initial Exploration

The video begins with a first-time exploration of Perplexity Computer, focusing on its potential for entrepreneurs to increase productivity and generate revenue. The presenter aims to identify and test “non-obvious” use cases for the platform. Initial observations highlight the platform’s task-based interface, with tasks running in parallel on the left and agent activity displayed on the right. The presenter notes the platform’s clean UI/UX.

2. Use Case 1: Warm Outbound at Scale – Personalized Prospecting & Email Outreach

The first use case explored is automated, personalized outbound sales outreach. The prompt given to Perplexity Computer was to: “Find the founder/CEO on LinkedIn for 30 companies, research recent news, funding, and pain points, and draft a hyperpersonalized cold email referencing something specific, then send via connected Gmail.”

• Process: The presenter connected their Gmail account (noting the inherent security risks) and provided a list of 30 companies. Perplexity Computer then initiated a multi-step process: identifying key contacts, researching company information, drafting emails, and scheduling sending.
• Key Findings: Perplexity Computer successfully identified founders (even finding Toby Lutke, Shopify’s CEO), researched company details, and generated personalized email drafts. The presenter was impressed by the platform’s ability to identify relevant details for personalization (e.g., referencing a recent MRI analysis project by Shopify founder).
• Refinement: The platform initially suggested emailing CEOs directly, but then correctly identified that contacting sponsorship/partnership managers would be more effective. A bonus prompt requesting additional revenue-generating strategies led Perplexity Computer to suggest monitoring competitor sponsorships and setting up alerts for new opportunities.
• Technical Detail: The system utilizes code sonnet 4.6 for its operations.

3. Use Case 2: Automated Competitive Intel – Recurring Monitoring & Alerts

This use case focuses on automating competitive analysis. The prompt asked Perplexity Computer to: “Check five competitors’ websites daily for pricing changes, new features, and blog posts. Search X for mentions. Send a push notification if anything changes.”

• Process: The presenter provided a list of competitors (My First Million, All-In Podcast, 20VC, Acquired). Perplexity Computer then set up a recurring task to monitor these websites and social media channels.
• Key Findings: Perplexity Computer successfully identified recent updates (e.g., new podcast episodes, guest announcements) and compiled a summary report. The presenter highlighted the value of receiving daily updates without manual effort.
• Integration & Limitations: The presenter expressed a desire for email delivery of reports instead of relying solely on push notifications. iMessage integration was also requested, mirroring functionality found in platforms like OpenClaw and Lindy AI.
• Technical Detail: The system creates MD files containing the reports and saves them to a designated workspace.

4. Use Case 3: Investor Pipeline Research – Deep Dive on VCs

This use case explores Perplexity Computer’s ability to research potential investors. The prompt asked the platform to: “Research 50 VCs considering a Series A raise for ‘Idea Browser’ (a fictional AI-powered startup idea platform), including fund size, partners, recent investments, and relevant tweets/interviews.”

• Process: The presenter provided details about their fictional company. Perplexity Computer then initiated a research process, leveraging its skills to gather information from various sources.
• Key Findings: Perplexity Computer generated a list of relevant VCs, along with key data points. It also warned about the significant credit consumption associated with this task.
• Output: The platform is capable of creating a structured spreadsheet with the collected data.

5. Use Case 4: Turn a Podcast Episode into a Full Content Machine

This use case demonstrates content repurposing capabilities. The prompt asked Perplexity Computer to: “Transcribe a podcast episode with speaker labels, write blog posts of varying lengths, extract tweetable quotes, and create a LinkedIn carousel.”

• Process: While not fully demonstrated due to the lack of an audio file, the presenter explained the intended workflow.
• Potential: The presenter highlighted the potential for automating content creation and distribution based on existing podcast content.

6. Use Case 5: Live Market Diligence on a Deal – Investment Memo Generation

This use case focuses on financial analysis and due diligence. The prompt asked Perplexity Computer to: “Build an investment research memo on Shopify, including financials, earnings transcripts, competitor comparisons (Big Commerce, Wix), analyst opinions, and a polished PDF report with charts.”

• Process: Perplexity Computer initiated a research process, leveraging its skills to gather and analyze financial data.
• Key Findings: The platform successfully compiled a comprehensive report, including financial data, competitor analysis, and analyst opinions.
• Technical Detail: The system utilizes data visualization tools and sub-agents to create the final PDF report.

7. Additional Use Cases & Overall Assessment

The presenter explored additional use cases suggested by Perplexity Computer, including:

• Stealing competitor’s SEO strategy
• Autogenerating branded pitch decks from Loom videos
• Shadow CFO for weekly financial sanity checks
• Hiring sourcer for candidate identification
• Deal room due diligence package

Overall Assessment: The presenter was highly impressed with Perplexity Computer, exceeding initial expectations. They highlighted the platform’s ability to automate complex tasks, generate personalized content, and provide valuable insights. The $200/month price point was deemed potentially worthwhile, especially for tasks like automated outreach and competitive intelligence. The presenter emphasized the exciting potential of AI agents and the opportunity to build innovative businesses leveraging these tools.

8. Conclusion

The video concludes with a call to action, encouraging viewers to explore Perplexity Computer and share their experiences. The presenter emphasizes the transformative potential of AI agents for entrepreneurs and the importance of embracing these tools to gain a competitive advantage. The overall takeaway is that Perplexity Computer is a powerful platform capable of automating complex tasks and providing valuable insights for founders and businesses.