Perplexity has upgraded the voice mode in its Mac app so it runs on OpenAI's gpt-live-1 model, the same one that powers ChatGPT's voice. The most notable change is that the model can listen to the user while it is speaking, a capability OpenAI introduced earlier this year and which, according to the source, remains among the most advanced in the category several months later. The update is available from today, October 28, in the Mac app and on the web, but only for Pro and Max subscribers.
According to the post in which Perplexity announced the change, the new voice mode lets users work across multiple Computer sessions at once, start new tasks, and create and manage Projects within a single voice session. Computer is Perplexity's AI agent, which plans and carries out tasks on the user's behalf. The point is therefore not only voice quality but the ability to direct several tasks in parallel by speaking, without moving to the text interface.
Image: Perplexity — https://alpha.perplexity.ai/
Listening during a response is the technical detail that sets this model apart from voices that simply alternate in a question-and-answer exchange. It allows the user to interrupt, correct or add instructions while the assistant is still talking, much like a conversation between people. Speech synthesis and turn management are what most affect how fluid such systems feel, which is why Perplexity's decision to adopt OpenAI's model rather than build its own points to how much the market now depends on a few foundation models.
The context also matters for Perplexity's other recent Mac feature. A few days ago the company introduced the ability to run AI directly on the computer without relying on cloud models, a mode that also enables offline use and privacy-focused workflows. The two moves point in opposite directions: voice runs through OpenAI's servers, while local computation stays on the device. The Mac thus becomes the meeting point of both paths, one dependent on the cloud and one that is not.
Image: centricdxb.com — https://www.centricdxb.com/insights/what-is-perplexity-ai
The users most affected are Pro and Max subscribers who use the Mac app as a workplace. For them voice mode becomes a way to delegate several tasks at once. Perplexity's post does not indicate extra pricing or dates for extending the feature to other plans.
The next question is whether combining real-time voice with the orchestration of multiple Computer agents becomes a central part of Perplexity's offer, or remains a niche feature for people who already work heavily on the desktop.
No comments yet. Be the first!