I recently tried Perplexity’s new AI voice assistant on my iPhone 16 Pro, and my first impression was that it might just be a worthy rival to Siri. As a long-time user of Siri, I’ve always had a mixed relationship with Apple’s voice assistant, often relying on it for simple tasks like setting alarms. Perplexity, however, surprised me by offering more advanced capabilities than I expected from Siri. While it still doesn’t match the power of Google Search, Perplexity has shown strong potential.
To try the AI assistant, users simply need to download the app from the Apple App Store, sign in, and start interacting with the assistant. The app allows users to customize settings, such as choosing from various voices and conversation modes. The free plan offers basic functionality, while the paid versions offer higher usage limits. Privacy options, including opting out of training data collection, are available within the settings.
The real standout feature of Perplexity is how it functions. Unlike Siri, which often feels outdated, Perplexity listens and responds like a human. During my testing, the assistant was able to handle requests like drafting an email and playing music with ease. Even in noisy environments, it performed surprisingly well, only asking for clarification when necessary. The integration with third-party apps, like Apple Music and Uber, also worked seamlessly, making Perplexity a game-changer for day-to-day tasks.
However, despite its strengths, Perplexity falls short as a replacement for Google. While it can pull tech news from trusted sources like Reuters, it sometimes misinterprets information. For instance, it listed outdated financial results from Apple as current news. I also tested its visual recognition feature, asking it to identify a brand from a photo. Unfortunately, it misidentified the brand, showing that Perplexity’s search capabilities and visual intelligence still have room for improvement.
Overall, my experience with Perplexity has been positive. It feels like the AI assistant Siri should have become—capable of handling more complex tasks, like managing emails and setting up calendar invites. Though there are still some flaws, Perplexity is an exciting development and a worthy Siri alternative for anyone looking for more from their voice assistant.
