Perplexity launches privacy-minded ‘hybrid compute’ AI feature for Mac

Perplexity has introduced a new AI feature called "Hybrid Compute" for Mac users. This feature was featured in Apple's M6 Mac mini launch and has been relatively quiet on the Mac front this summer. Hybrid Compute splits AI tasks between local and cloud models. When a task starts, it runs in the cloud initially but then triggers locally on the user's Mac to access files and handle sensitive steps.

The Mac reads each task for personally identifiable information (PII), such as names, addresses, and account numbers, before sending it off. This task is replaced with stand-ins and restored once the answer returns. The on-device PII classifier, used for this task, is open-sourced and trained in collaboration with Perplexity's Secure Intelligence Institute.

To use Hybrid Compute, Macs must have at least 24GB of unified memory, with 32GB recommended for optimal performance. The local model needs to be downloaded once, and it works without requiring cloud credits or an API key. This new feature comes as part of Perplexity's ongoing efforts to leverage the power of the Mac for AI tools and productivity.