Perplexity, a pioneering AI "answer engine," has taken a significant leap forward by launching its mobile assistant on Android devices. This innovative assistant is capable of performing a wide range of tasks on behalf of users, from writing emails to booking dinner reservations, while also possessing the unique ability to "see" and understand content on the user's screen.

This multimodal functionality enables users to ask questions about what's on their screen, and the assistant can respond accordingly. For instance, a user can ask the assistant to "get me a ride," and it will automatically open Uber with available rides to the desired destination. In another example, when asked to "open up a good podcast," the assistant quickly started playing the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience on YouTube.

The assistant's capabilities were demonstrated through a series of tests, including identifying a promotional Pokémon pack from a McDonald's Happy Meal using the phone's camera. It also successfully helped write and send a text to a family member using contact information. While the assistant currently supports a limited range of apps, including Spotify, YouTube, and Uber, alongside email, messaging, and clock apps, Perplexity spokesperson Sara Platnick assured that the company is "continuing to add support for more apps and more functionality."

Notably, the assistant does not currently work with every app, with limitations including Slack and Reddit, and the inability to leave comments on YouTube videos. However, Platnick expressed optimism about expanding the assistant's capabilities, stating, "We're continuing to add support for more apps and more functionality, so this is just the starting point."

To access the assistant, users can enable it through the Perplexity app, which prompts them to replace their phone's default assistant with Perplexity. From there, users can swipe up on the left corner of their screen or hold down their home button to access the assistant.

One significant limitation of the assistant is its current unavailability on iPhone devices. Platnick attributed this to Apple's permission requirements, stating, "If Apple gives us the right permissions, we'll make it happen." This restriction may change in the future, but for now, Android users are the primary beneficiaries of Perplexity's innovative AI assistant.

The launch of Perplexity's mobile assistant on Android comes amidst a flurry of AI-related announcements, including Samsung's unveiling of the Gemini-equipped Galaxy S25 and Google's revelation that its AI assistant can now complete tasks across multiple apps. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, Perplexity's assistant is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of mobile task completion and user interaction.