Siri has competition on the iPhone, and its Perplexity AI voice assistant

Imagine asking your phone, “What’s the best laptop under Rs 1,00,000 for editing videos?” and getting a clear, concise answer read aloud that is backed by sources, not guesses. That’s exactly what Perplexity’s new voice assistant promises, now live on iOS.

Known for its AI-powered search engine, Perplexity is stepping into Siri and Alexa territory, but it is different enough. Let’s find out how.

It seems to be seriously smart

The Perplexity voice assistant isn’t just a voice interface slapped onto a search engine. Rather, it’s a full-on conversational tool that understands context, asks follow-ups, and even cites where it gets its information. You’re not just getting answers; you’re getting smart, sourced responses that make you feel like you’re chatting with a research assistant rather than a robot.

Here’s what sets it apart – You ask a question, and the assistant responds out loud with a summary and if you want to dig deeper, you can tap the citations and view the original sources. Curious to explore further? The assistant follows up with clarifying questions, just like a good journalist, or a very prepared friend.

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Perplexity’s move to bring its assistant to mobile marks a new phase in the AI arms race. With OpenAI, Google, and now Perplexity throwing their hats in the voice-powered ring, the future of search is clearly headed toward chat-first, context-rich experiences.

The app is free, works out of the box, and doesn’t require an account. For now, it’s iOS-only, but expect Android support soon. So yes, Perplexity’s voice assistant might just be the smartest person in the room, except it fits in your pocket.