The Ultimate Guide to Perplexity AI

What if there was one AI tool that could boost your efficiency, help you learn faster, improve your health, and even make you more money? Sounds too good to be true? Well, it’s not! Meet Perplexity AI, the tool I use every single day, multiple times a day. This isn’t just another AI review; it’s your ultimate guide to understanding and maximizing the power of Perplexity. Get ready to explore its coolest features and discover clever prompts that unlock its true potential.

Perplexity AI’s Core Features: A Comprehensive Overview

Think you know Perplexity? Maybe. But stick around, because I guarantee there are features you haven’t discovered yet!

The Basics

Let’s start with the essentials. When you land on the Perplexity AI website, you’re greeted by a clean and simple interface.

• The Prompt Box: This is where the magic happens. Ask any question, and Perplexity will get to work.
• Dropdown Menu:
  • Auto Mode: The default setting, perfect for general inquiries.
  • Pro Search: (For Pro members) Unlock enhanced search capabilities for even more detailed results.
  • Deep Research: Need to dive deep? This mode conducts a thorough investigation of your topic.
  • Reasoning with R1 and o03 mini: Explore alternative reasoning models for different perspectives.
• The Globe Icon: Take control of your search.
  • Entire Web: Search the whole internet for answers.
  • Academic Papers: Focus your search on scholarly research and publications.
  • Social Media: Tap into the pulse of social media (primarily Reddit) for trending topics and discussions.
• Attachment Upload: Add context to your queries by uploading PDFs and images. This is super useful for getting specific answers based on your own documents.

The Left Tab Navigation

The left side of the screen is your command center, giving you access to Perplexity’s key features:

• Discover: Consider this your personalized news feed for the AI age.
  • “For You” Tab: Perplexity learns your interests based on your past prompts and delivers relevant news and information.
    • For me, it’s usually filled with AI and tech news. Here are some examples:
      • World’s first quantum attack defense chip
      • Anthropic’s impressive valuation
      • Rumors about the new Apple Air announcement
  • “Top” Tab: Get a quick snapshot of the day’s biggest news stories across all categories.
  • Category Filters: Dive deeper into specific areas like Tech & Science, Finance, Arts & Culture, and Sports & Entertainment.
  • Topic Selection: Fine-tune your “For You” page by selecting the topics that matter most to you.
  • It’s like a “daily newspaper,” giving you a quick and efficient way to stay informed about the world and the tech industry.
• Spaces: Think of Spaces as custom containers for your AI interactions.
  • Spaces let you give custom instructions and additional context. If you’re a Pro Plan user you can even select a specific model.
  • It’s similar to custom GPTs in ChatGPT or projects in Claude.
• Library: Your personal archive of past conversations with Perplexity. It’s a great way to revisit previous research or pick up where you left off.
• Pages: Create your own AI-powered Wikipedia pages on any topic you choose.
  • For example, I’ve created a page on Quantum Computing.
  • Share your pages with others for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
  • Customize your pages with different thumbnails, sections, and media.

Perplexity on the Go: The Mobile App Experience

The Perplexity mobile app brings the power of AI to your fingertips. It mirrors the functionality of the desktop version, with some cool mobile-specific advantages.

• Camera Access: Use your phone’s camera to take pictures and ask questions about what you see.
• Voice Mode: Interact with Perplexity hands-free using voice commands.
  • For example, you can ask, “How are the Padres doing in spring training?”
• Other Modes: Access Discover, Spaces, Library, and Pages, just like on the desktop version.

Privacy and Personalization: Settings You Need to Know

Perplexity offers several settings that let you control your privacy and personalize your experience:

• Incognito Mode: Keep your conversations private by preventing them from being saved to your library.
• Settings Customization:
  • Language Selection: Choose from a wide range of languages.
  • Model Selection (Pro Mode):
    • Claude 3.7 Sonnet
    • Claude 3.5 Sonnet
    • GPT 4.5
    • Perplexity’s Sonar model (built on Llama)
    • Grok 2
    • Gemini 2.0 Flash

Unlocking Creativity: Image Generation with Perplexity

Did you know Perplexity can also generate images? It’s true!

• Image Generation Models: Choose from Flux One, DALL-E 3, and Playground V3.
• The Process: Currently, you can’t directly generate images from the main prompt box. Instead, you need to use the separate “Generate Image” button and fine-tune your request using the custom prompt option.
• The Future: I predict that image generation will eventually be integrated directly into the main prompt box for a more seamless experience.

Crunchbase AI: Predicting Startup Success

This section is sponsored by Crunchbase.

Let’s face it, tracking the startup world can feel like drinking from a firehose. By the time you read about a company raising money, it’s already old news. That’s where Crunchbase AI comes in.

Instead of just tracking past events, Crunchbase AI uses predictive intelligence to forecast which startups will secure funding, get acquired, or disrupt industries.

• Key Features:
  • AI-powered forecasts of future events
  • Analysis of 17 years of data and live signals from 80 million users
• Demonstration:
  • Use Crunchbase Scout to identify AI companies likely to raise Series A funding.
  • Filter by subcategory, technology stack, or business model.
• API Integration: Build custom tools and models using Crunchbase’s API.
• Accuracy: Crunchbase AI boasts up to 95% accuracy in predicting funding events.

If you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of startups, Crunchbase AI is worth checking out.

• Learn more about their API.

Beyond the Basics: Unleashing the Power of Perplexity Prompts

Now that we’ve covered the core features, let’s dive into some practical use cases and clever prompts that can unlock the true power of Perplexity.

Quick Answers and Fact-Checking

Perplexity is my go-to tool for quickly answering questions and verifying information I see online.

• Examples:
  • What percentage of MLS players are from the US?
  • Can colleges pay basketball players?
  • What does Texas A&M stand for?
  • How much do the new digital license plates cost?
  • What are some tips for being better at driving a golf ball?

Definitions and Explanations

Need a complex concept explained in simple terms? Perplexity has you covered.

• Example: Gradient descent in AI
  • Explain gradient descent for AI.
  • Explain gradient descent for AI (academic search).
  • Explain gradient descent for AI like I’m 5.

Summarizing Web Content

Quickly get the gist of any article by simply providing the URL to Perplexity.

• Example: Summarize this article: “Amazon’s Panos Panay on the long road to Alexa’s AI overhaul” (from The Verge).
• Response Options:
  • Share
  • Export (PDF, Markdown)
  • Rewrite
  • Suggested Questions

Real-Time Information

Stay up-to-date on sports scores, financial markets, and more.

• Examples:
  • What’s Tesla’s stock price?
  • What’s the Brewers’ score?

Deep Research

Tackle complex topics with in-depth analysis and research.

• Example: What are the pros and cons of each publicly available large language model?

Quizzes and Tutorials

Test your knowledge or learn a new skill with Perplexity’s quiz and tutorial generation capabilities.

• Examples:
  • Give me a 10-question quiz to see how well I understand the basics of quantum computing.
  • I want to replace the intake on my F-150 with a cold air intake, give me a step-by-step tutorial.

Excel and Google Sheets Formulas

Struggling with spreadsheets? Perplexity can help you find the perfect formula.

• Example: I need a Google Sheet formula to find the price of a stock ticker.

Your Personal Health Assistant

Create a dedicated “Health Space” and upload your health information to get personalized advice and insights.

• Important: Be mindful of your privacy when sharing personal health information.

Travel Planning Made Easy

Get recommendations for must-see sites and optimize your itinerary.

• Example: I’m going on a trip to Kauai in April, what are some must-see sites while I’m there? Give me info about the best times to visit each to minimize crowds.

Product Comparisons and Research

Find the best products and deals by comparing features, prices, and reviews.

• Example: Compare the best prosumer camera drones on the market and recommend the one that most people prefer.

SEO Research for Marketing

Identify high-traffic, low-competition keywords to boost your online visibility.

• Example: I’m writing a blog post about consumer drones, what are some potentially high-traffic keywords with low competition that I should go after?

Real Estate Investment Analysis

Find promising property markets with Perplexity.

• Example: What property markets in the US have the lowest cost to purchase and the highest growth potential right now?

Stock Market Insights

Get a breakdown of the fundamental, technical, and sentiment analysis of stocks.

• Example: I’m thinking about purchasing Rivian stock, give me a breakdown of the fundamental, technical, and sentiment analysis of the stock.

Document Analysis

Extract key information from uploaded documents.

• Example: I have some handwritten notes for this video, what are the Perplexity tips from this document?

The Future is Now: Perplexity’s Upcoming Innovations

Perplexity is constantly evolving and innovating. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming next:

• Comment Web Browser: Agentic searching and automated tasks that perform actions on your behalf.
• T-Mobile Partnership: Perplexity will be the default AI in their next generation of AI phones.

Diving Deeper: The Perplexity API and Automation

For advanced users, the Perplexity API opens up a world of possibilities for automation and custom workflows.

• Examples:
  • Automatically gather information about new tools added to a Google Sheet using Perplexity, Claude, and ChatGPT.
  • Automatically analyze new research papers and update a website with the findings.

Conclusion

Perplexity AI is more than just a search engine; it’s a versatile tool that can enhance your efficiency, expand your knowledge, and even improve your well-being. Whether you’re a student, professional, or just someone who loves to learn, Perplexity has something to offer.

Now it’s your turn! What cool and creative ways are you using Perplexity AI? Share your ideas in the comments below – I’m always looking for new inspiration!