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What you'll learn in this article
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search engine that lets you find information through a conversational interface. Unlike a regular search engine, you ask questions in natural language and the AI searches the latest information on the internet, then answers you in clear, easy-to-understand text.
Although it originated overseas, it also supports Japanese. Along with each answer, it displays links to the sources it referenced, so you can verify the reliability of the information yourself. Think of it as a tool that combines the best of Google and ChatGPT.
In 2026, a new feature called "Perplexity Computer" was introduced, evolving the platform into a multi-agent system — where multiple AIs work together — capable of handling everything from research and design to coding, automatically.
Perplexity AI offers the following useful features.
You can search for the latest information on the internet in real time. It's ideal for looking up things happening right now, such as news, stock prices, and weather. While the free version of ChatGPT sometimes only knows older information, Perplexity is always up to date.
Every answer comes with links to the original sources. Because it's clear which sites the information came from, you can verify for yourself whether the AI's answer is correct. This is also handy when writing reports or academic papers.
You can upload files such as PDFs, Word documents, and images, then ask questions about their contents. When you don't have time to read through a lengthy document, you can get just the key points. The free plan allows up to 3 uploads per day; the paid plan offers unlimited uploads.
You can compile what you've researched or your search results into a neatly formatted document and share it with others. This is useful when you want to share research findings with a team or create an investigation report. This is a paid-plan feature.
With Perplexity Computer, introduced in 2026, more than 19 AI models — including GPT-5.2 and Claude Opus 4.6 — are integrated into the platform. The AI best suited to a given task is automatically selected based on what you need to do. This is a paid-plan (Max) feature.
Perplexity AI is very easy to get started with. Follow the steps below to give it a try.
Open your browser and go to "perplexity.ai." You can use it without creating an account, but if you register, you'll be able to use the high-performance "Copilot" feature up to 5 times per day.
In the input box at the bottom of the screen, type your question in plain language. Anything works — for example, "What's the weather in Tokyo today?" or "What's the difference between ChatGPT and Perplexity?" Both Japanese and English are fine.
Within seconds, a clear and easy-to-read answer will appear. Numbered links alongside the answer let you click through to the source websites. If you're unsure whether the information is accurate, give them a check.
You can continue asking questions after the initial answer to dig deeper in a conversational way. Phrases like "Tell me more" or "Give me a specific example" let you build your understanding through dialogue.
Perplexity AI offers both a free plan and paid plans.
There is also an "Education Pro" plan available for students and educators at $10/month.
We recommend trying the free plan first, then upgrading to a paid plan if you find you need more.
This article is a cross-post from AI Friends.
