Perplexity Just Gave AI the Keys to Your Desktop
Perplexity AI quietly rolled out a feature that lets its chatbot control your computer directly. Not just browse the web or write code. Actually click buttons, open files, and navigate your desktop like a human would.
This is not another "AI can help you write emails" story. This is AI taking the wheel of your actual machine.
What Actually Happens When You Enable Computer Use
Perplexity's new "computer use" feature works through screen capture and mouse control. You grant permission, and the AI can see your desktop, move your cursor, click on applications, and type text into any program.
Think of it as remote desktop access, except the person on the other end is an AI that never gets tired and processes visual information faster than any human.
The feature builds on Anthropic's Claude computer use capabilities but integrates directly into Perplexity's search interface. You can ask it to "book a restaurant reservation" and watch it navigate booking websites, fill forms, and complete transactions.
The Security Nightmare You Probably Haven't Considered
Here is what should keep you awake at night: this AI has access to everything visible on your screen. Your banking passwords auto-filled in browsers. Confidential documents left open. Personal photos in your desktop folders.
Perplexity says the feature runs locally and screenshots are processed securely. But "processed securely" still means an AI system is capturing and analysing every pixel of your desktop in real-time.
What happens when that AI gets compromised? What happens when a prompt injection attack tricks it into exfiltrating sensitive data? What happens when it misinterprets a command and deletes the wrong files?
