Perplexity Computer can now split agent work between cloud AI and local Mac models

Perplexity has added **Hybrid Compute** to Computer on Apple-silicon Macs, letting a single agent shift sensitive parts of a task to local models without restarting the workflow. Perplexity says the local path is designed to keep sensitive files and information on the device, while cloud models remain available for steps that need stronger remote capability.\n\nThe feature is available through Perplexity’s desktop app for Pro, Max and enterprise users on Apple-silicon Macs running macOS 15 or later, according to independent launch reporting. The practical change is not that Computer becomes fully local: Hybrid Compute deliberately mixes local and cloud execution.\n\n## A more granular privacy and deployment choice\n\nFor privacy-sensitive knowledge work, the new mode offers an intermediate option between an entirely cloud workflow and a separate local-first setup. Perplexity frames the feature around keeping sensitive information on-device; independent reporting describes dynamic handoff of confidential task portions to local models.\n\nThat should not be read as an audited guarantee that all task data stays local. The product is explicitly hybrid, so users still need to understand which steps are executed in the cloud and which remain on the Mac.\n\n## Why it matters for AiToolMap\n\nThis is a material product change rather than a funding or partnership announcement. It changes the privacy, deployment and platform facts relevant to Perplexity Computer, so AiToolMap should refresh the canonical Perplexity review after the current selector-preservation defect is repaired. The existing canonical review remains in place until that update passes normal evidence and publication gates.