Another AI assistant is coming to Android, and this one promise real-world value. The Perplexity Assistant can hail Uber rides and perform tasks directly through apps on your phone.
We’ve heard the promise of LAMs (large action models) before—AI models that can handle tasks on your device. Google Gemini, for example, is both an LLM and an LAM, letting you open apps and perform actions on your phone, though it does have its limits.
Perplexity Assistant
The latest model on the scene is giving Android users a new option. Perplexity Assistant is launching today on the Google Play Store. It works as an AI assistant, just like you’d expect, showing up at the bottom of your screen when you press and hold the power button. To make it your default, you’ll need to set it to replace Gemini, though.
What really stands out about Perplexity Assistant is its ability to use Android apps outside of a specific ecosystem. After a bit of trial and error, I finally got it to open Uber and book a ride to the airport—something no other assistant has managed to do for me. It can also play music through Spotify or YouTube, though that’s less exciting. But it can even make dinner reservations through OpenTable, which is pretty cool.
Comparing it directly to Gemini, I found that Perplexity Assistant provided more nuanced information. When I asked what was in front of me, it opened the camera and analyzed my surroundings, giving me a detailed overview of my coffee cup—similar to what Gemini Live would offer. However, it took a few tries for the app to realize I wanted it to analyze what the camera was seeing. It’s not perfect and has some bugs, but it shows a lot of potential.
This is something Gemini can do through its app and plans to expand on in future updates. For now, though, it takes a bit more manual effort to get the answer you’re looking for.
Perplexity Assistant for Android is free on the Google Play Store, and the free version gives you access to all the features mentioned. If you want more advanced options, there’s a Perplexity Pro plan for $19.99 (~ PHP 1,120) per month.
