WHY THIS MATTERS
Perplexity announced on August 18, 2026 that Computer, its AI agent for complex multi step tasks, now works directly through email, according to the company's own help center and reporting from AlternativeTo. Users simply email, forward, or cc computer@perplexity.com on a thread, and the agent reads the conversation and any attachments before returning results, such as spreadsheets, PDFs or presentations, in that same email thread. Each request creates a full Computer session, reviewable later on the web or mobile, and the feature draws on the same memory from the user's previous sessions, only running tasks after verifying the sender's identity.In this article
An AI Agent That Now Answers to Email
Perplexity announced on August 18, 2026 that Computer, its agent built for complex multi step tasks, now works directly through email, according to the company's help center and reporting from AlternativeTo. To trigger the agent, users simply send a message, forward an existing conversation, or cc computer@perplexity.com, with no need to open the Perplexity app or website.
How It Works in Practice: From Email to Finished File
Computer reads the full conversation and any attached files needed to complete the task, and returns the result in that same email thread, including deliverables such as spreadsheets, PDFs and presentations. Each request creates a full Computer session, which can be reviewed later on the web or mobile, with the same step by step process and audit trail as tasks started directly in the app.
Shared Memory and Sender Verification
The feature draws on the same memory and context as other Computer sessions, including Perplexity's self improving memory system, allowing the agent to reference previous decisions, company specific terminology, and facts already established in past conversations. Tasks only run after the sender is verified, and the agent uses the connectors and permissions that person has already configured.
Part of a Broader Expansion of Computer
Computer for Email arrives months after the launch of Computer as a premium $200 a month agent capable of coordinating 19 different models to carry out complex tasks, and following recent expansions of the feature to Windows and enterprise use. Its arrival on email widens the number of channels through which the agent can be triggered, without requiring a dedicated interface.
Why It Matters for Brazilian Agencies and SMBs
For agencies and marketing teams that already use email as their central channel for working with clients and vendors, an agent triggerable by email lowers the friction of adopting AI automation in daily work, since it does not require training the team on a new tool. At the same time, it is worth clearly defining who on the team can trigger the agent and which connectors are enabled for each person, since Computer inherits the permissions of whoever sends the email, and a poorly configured access setup could expose client data to unwanted automated actions.