Perplexity's new tool lets AI handle sensitive files locally
What's the story
Perplexity's Computer, a suite of AI agents that can autonomously complete tasks using the web and files/apps on your PC, has gained a new feature called Hybrid Compute. The tool lets users split tasks between a cloud-based model like Opus 5 or GPT 5.6 Sol and a local LLM running on their computer. This way, sensitive information can be handled by the local model, keeping it secure on the user's machine.
Use cases
Aimed at professionals needing to handle sensitive data
Perplexity envisions Hybrid Compute as a tool for professionals such as lawyers, who need to compare ongoing cases with existing case law.
The feature would help keep client data confidential in such scenarios.
It also promises to save users on inference costs by distributing some of the workload from expensive cloud models to local ones.
Customization
Users can review files before distributing tasks
Before distributing tasks across different models, Hybrid Compute lets users review the selected files for processing. They can also choose which models will handle the task.
Currently, local options include Gemma E4B and two variants of Qwen's 35-billion-parameter 3.6 model, one post-trained by Perplexity.
The company plans to expand this list while keeping installation seamless through its app without requiring Mac terminal usage from users.
User interface
Visualize resource usage
Once the system is up and running, users can visualize their local CPU, GPU, and memory usage. A sidebar also shows how many tokens the task has consumed.
Notably, users won't be charged for tokens produced by a local model on their personal machine.
After generating an output, they can give follow-up instructions as usual and even use an iPhone to queue up tasks.
Accessibility
Currently limited to Apple Silicon Macs
Currently, Hybrid Compute is available only on Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 15.
Perplexity recommends a machine with at least 32GB of unified memory for the system.
The feature is exclusive to Pro and Max subscribers, making it a premium offering for those who want to leverage the power of AI while ensuring data privacy and security.