Each Teammate runs in an isolated environment with encrypted credentials. However, it inherits the permissions of installed plugins, so it is recommended to limit access to the necessary repositories.

Perplexity launches Teammates, an always-on agent for work

Q: How does it differ from Perplexity Computer?

Computer handles one-off tasks. Teammates stays active and works on ongoing projects independently, monitoring tools and acting without waiting for a new query.

The launch puts Perplexity alongside OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta and SpaceX, which already offer similar agents (Dots, Duet, Muse and Grok Bots). The difference is that Teammates runs on its own virtual machine with desktop and browser, and the user follows progress via dedicated threads in the Perplexity app, with interaction via Slack.

In this article you will see:

What Teammates does and how it works.
How it compares with Dots, Duet, Muse and Grok Bots.
Access requirements and cost.
What changes for people working with AI agents.

What is Teammates

Teammates is a persistent agent with its own thread. It remembers project goals, task history and shared files, coordinates Computer sessions and other Teammates, and can send messages to colleagues on Slack. Perplexity describes that the agent monitors work and "investigates and acts without waiting for a new query".

Each Teammate runs in its own isolated environment with its own desktop and browser. Browsing sessions and cookies stay with the Teammate. Saved credentials are encrypted and inserted securely, without being visible to the agent.

How it works in practice

The user assigns a responsibility in natural language. The agent plans the tasks, starts additional agents for parallel work and collects the results. It monitors tools like Slack, GitHub and Linear, starts work when something arrives and follows up, for example responding to review comments on a pull request it opened.

CEO Aravind Srinivas described the ambition on X: "Over time, we envision every organization having hundreds of teammates working for each person." The agent can be redirected mid task and the user can take over the desktop when needed.

Comparison with competitors

Perplexity joins OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta and SpaceX, which already offer similar agents:

OpenAI Dots: available from $100 per month.
Anthropic Duet: available from $20 per month.
Meta Muse: Meta's agent.
SpaceX Grok Bots: SpaceX's agent.

Teammates requires the Max plan at $200 per month (or $167 per month on annual billing). Perplexity says cheaper plans will likely hit usage limits quickly. Just days earlier, high agent consumption forced SpaceX to impose stricter usage limits on Grok Bots.

Requirements and cost

Initial access is by research for individual Max subscribers on the web. The Max plan includes 10,000 monthly Computer credits. New subscribers may receive a one-time bonus of 35,000 credits that expires in about 30 days. Monthly credits do not roll over.

Each Teammate consumes credits according to the complexity of the work. More complex work or several agents operating simultaneously consume more credits. Perplexity says Teammates will use Max credits for free for a promotional period, after which they consume the monthly quota.

Security and control

The security model is based on isolation plus inherited permissions. Each Teammate runs on its own isolated computer with its own desktop and browser. Browsing sessions and cookies stay with the Teammate. Saved credentials are encrypted and not visible to the agent.

At the same time, Teammates use the plugins and skills installed with the same permissions granted. The recommendation is to select only the GitHub repositories the Teammate needs. The Teammate chat is visible only to the owner.

How to test today

Teammates is available for Max subscribers on the web, with iOS coming soon. To get started, assign a responsibility in natural language and follow the progress in the dedicated thread. You can request status updates at any time or change the plan in the middle of execution.

If you already use Perplexity Computer, Teammates inherits the Projects, skills and memory already configured. This means the agent starts with context, not with an empty conversation.

Frequently asked questions about Perplexity Teammates

What is Teammates? It is a persistent AI agent from Perplexity that takes on continuous work tasks, with its own thread, project memory and execution in an isolated environment.

How does it differ from Perplexity Computer? Computer executes single tasks. Teammates stays active and works on ongoing projects independently, monitoring tools and acting without waiting for a new query.

How much does it cost? It requires the Max plan, at $200 per month (or $167 per month on annual billing). It includes 10,000 monthly Computer credits.

How does it compare with Dots and Duet? Dots (OpenAI) starts at $100 per month. Duet (Anthropic) starts at $20 per month. Teammates requires $200 per month but runs in an isolated environment with its own desktop and browser.

Is it safe? Each Teammate runs in an isolated environment with encrypted credentials. But it inherits the permissions of installed plugins, so the recommendation is to limit access to the necessary repositories.

Conclusion

Perplexity Teammates represents an evolution from single task AI agents to persistent agents that take on continuous responsibilities. The ability to monitor tools, act proactively and maintain context between executions is what differentiates agents from chatbots.

For those working with AI agents, Teammates is another sign that competition is moving toward always on agents with isolated environments. The choice between Perplexity, OpenAI, Anthropic and others will depend on cost, control and integration with the tools you already use.

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