Perplexity AI joins WhatsApp: how to use the new chatbot and what it can do

WhatsApp’s built-in chatbot might not be for everyone but that hasn’t stopped more AI services from embracing the app.

Hot on the heels of ChatGPT, which landed on WhatsApp late last year, Perplexity is now available to message directly on the platform.

Meta’s decision to bake its assistant directly into WhatsApp ruffled feathers, with users demanding a way to turn it off. As such, you’ll be glad to hear that Perplexity only appears if you choose to add it yourself.

So, how does it stack up against ChatGPT? Rather than acting as a writing assistant or brainstorming buddy, Perplexity specialises in delivering up-to-date answers pulled from the web.

Think of it as an AI-powered search engine — one that skips the links and gives you a clear, concise response, complete with clickable citations. Answers typically come in the form of summary paragraphs or bullet points, so you can get the gist quickly and dig deeper if needed.

Still, if you’re feeling playful, it can also generate images (something WhatsApp’s AI assistant doesn’t offer yet due to regulatory impediments).

To start chatting with Perplexity, you first need to manually activate it on WhatsApp. This can be done in one of two ways: by clicking on the following web link and messaging the bot, which will see it appear in your chats tab until you delete it, or by adding it as a contact.

For the latter, you’ll need Perplexity’s phone number (+1 (833) 436-3285), but don’t bother ringing it as it won’t pick up. To talk to the bot, you’ll still need to use its dedicated app or website.

With Meta AI, ChatGPT and now Perplexity, WhatsApp users suddenly have a trio of AI tools at their fingertips — and it’s not hard to see why the app is becoming a magnet for digital assistants.

The messaging interface is a natural fit for these tools. Just like on their native platforms, you type into a chat bar and get responses in a familiar thread format — no learning curve to speak of.

Better still, having them all inside WhatsApp means you don’t need to jump between apps or websites. Everything’s right there in your chats, ready when you need it.

Alongside WhatsApp, Perplexity is also available on X (formerly Twitter), where you can mention it in replies to get info on posts, much like you would X’s Grok bot.

It might just be a coincidence, but OpenAI has conveniently announced that ChatGPT on WhatsApp can now browse the web, a timely update that could steal some of Perplexity’s thunder. Still, for those hooked on AI tools, more choice is never a bad thing.

And Perplexity isn’t stopping at messaging. Next up, it’s taking on Google’s Chrome with its very own web browser, which is set to launch in May. Perplexity’s CEO caused a stir recently by stating that part of the reason for the browser is to collect data on everything users do outside of its app so it can sell “hyperpersonalised ads”.

Perplexity has also teamed up with Motorola to pre-install its app on new Razr phones, where it can be accessed by typing “Ask Perplexity” into the Moto AI assistant.