In a move to expand its reach and take on established AI search apps, Perplexity has officially launched its native Mac app, offering users a free and premium subscription-based service. The new app allows for seamless integration with the desktop experience, featuring keyboard shortcuts, voice mode, file upload, and voice dictation capabilities.

Perplexity's Mac app is poised to compete with the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT and Quora's Poe app, which aggregates different large language models. The startup's premium subscription, Perplexity Pro, offers users over 300 in-depth search results for $20 a month or $200 a year, providing a more comprehensive search experience.

This launch comes on the heels of Perplexity's mobile app releases for iOS and Android last year. The company is also reportedly seeking $500 million in funding, which would double its valuation to $8 billion. However, Perplexity is facing challenges, including a cease-and-desist letter from The New York Times accusing the startup of scraping and plagiarism.

The launch of Perplexity's Mac app marks a significant milestone in the AI search space, as the startup aims to carve out a niche in a rapidly growing market.