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Perplexity’s AI assistant wants to take on ChatGPT, Siri, and Alexa

But will it actually compete with well-established players in this multi-billion-dollar industry?

by Kelechi Edeh

Updated January 27, 2025

The AI assistant wars just got a new contender. Just days after OpenAI introduced ChatGPT’s Tasks feature—allowing users to set reminders, alerts, and notifications—Perplexity, the AI search startup backed by Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, is rolling out its own AI assistant.

According to the company, its assistant doesn’t just follow preset commands. It taps into live web search, reasoning models, and multi-app integrations to deliver more real-time, context-aware responses. That means it could, for example, check restaurant availability, suggest alternatives, and even book a table—all in one interaction. It also supports 15 languages including German, Hindi, and Japanese, giving it a potential global edge.

But if Perplexity’s previous product launches are anything to go by, there could be a few rough edges. Its AI-powered shopping tool, for instance, struggled with accuracy and speed at launch, and even the company’s CEO admits that some of the Perplexity Assistant's features "might not always work."

Perplexity's legal battles aren’t helping either. News Corp’s Dow Jones and the NY Post have sued the startup over what they call a “content kleptocracy,” accusing it of scraping and repurposing their articles. Still, investors don't seem worried. With over 100 million weekly queries and more than $500 million in recent funding deals, Perplexity now sits at a staggering $9 billion valuation.

Another question, though, is whether Perplexity can actually compete with well-established players in this multi-billion-dollar industry. With Apple upgrading Siri with Apple Intelligence, Amazon prepping a major Alexa revamp, and Google Gemini rolling out multimodal and multi-app capabilities, Perplexity has a tough fight ahead.

For now, Perplexity Assistant is free to use on Android, but there’s no word on when—or if—it’ll land on iOS. The company says it’s waiting on Apple’s approval—and that decision could determine whether this AI challenger gets a real shot at taking on Siri, Alexa, and ChatGPT head-on.