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Perplexity's agentic AI Personal Computer expands to Windows, ZDNet test finds

Perplexity's agentic AI arrives on Windows, handling file summaries, cloud scans, and email drafts in ZDNet's test.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-01 03:52

The review explained that once installed, Perplexity's Personal Computer can interact with content in three ways: it can access local files, use native applications on the Windows computer, and connect to cloud-based services such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox. Users can type requests or use voice mode to carry on a back-and-forth conversation before the AI tackles a task.

To get started, the first launch prompts the user to enable local file access. Users can then add connectors for third-party services through the Customize option in the left pane, selecting a service and clicking Add Connector to sign in. At the prompt, clicking the Computer button submits a task to Personal Computer, and the default model is recommended for most tasks.

The review tested several complex tasks. First, the reviewer asked Perplexity to scan all PDF files in the local Downloads folder and create a two-page summary of the information in those files. The AI summarized the files accurately, created a downloadable PDF, and even accounted for duplicate files in its analysis.

Second, the reviewer connected Microsoft 365 and instructed Perplexity to summarize all articles discussing Perplexity AI in the online OneDrive folder, add the summary to a new Word document, and save it back to OneDrive. The AI found all related documents, generated a five-page comprehensive summary, and delivered it as a downloadable Word file in the correct location. The reviewer confirmed there were no mistakes or hallucinations.

Third, the reviewer asked Perplexity to find all emails from the past six months across all Microsoft Outlook folders and email accounts with unanswered questions directed at the user, draft replies to each, and show the drafts before sending anything. The AI uncovered six unanswered emails and drafted replies, which the reviewer then copied into Outlook and revised in their own words.

The review also noted that Perplexity can schedule recurring tasks, with alerts or notifications sent each time a task runs. The review mentioned an initial roadblock with earlier versions of the Windows app, where Perplexity threw an error when asked to handle tasks requiring local folder access, but the latest version appears to have resolved that issue.