Perplexity Launches Always-On AI Teammates for Small Business Workflows

What Are Perplexity Teammates?

Perplexity has introduced a new type of AI agent called Teammates, designed specifically for work-related tasks. According to The Verge, these are always-on agents that can take on multiple roles within a workspace, pulling existing projects, skills, and memory from the Perplexity tools you already use.

Teammates integrate with Perplexity Computer, an AI system that can deploy agents on your device to complete tasks. Perplexity says Teammates build on top of Computer by offering the ability to collaborate and complete ongoing, large-scale work. You can assign each Teammate different jobs that they can perform simultaneously, much like OpenAI’s Dots and Claude Duet.

Each Teammate gets its own thread in the Perplexity app, and you can interact with them in Slack. Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas said on X: ‘Over time, we envision every org having hundreds of teammates working for each person.’

How Teammates Work for Small Businesses

For a small business, Teammates can handle a variety of ongoing tasks without constant supervision. According to the Launch AI Works Insights post, a single AI can manage scheduling, customer queries, and inventory updates, freeing staff to focus on growth.

The agents run 24/7 and can pull data from existing Perplexity tools. This means a small business owner could assign one Teammate to monitor customer support emails, another to track inventory levels, and a third to manage appointment bookings—all running simultaneously.

Because Teammates are always on, they can handle tasks that require continuous attention, such as monitoring for price changes or responding to customer inquiries outside of business hours. This can help small businesses operate more efficiently without hiring additional staff.

Pricing and Availability

Perplexity’s Teammates are available only through the company’s Max plan, which costs $200 per month, as reported by The Verge. This is significantly more expensive than competing offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic, but it includes the full suite of Perplexity’s AI tools.

For a small business, the $200 monthly cost may be a consideration. However, if the AI can replace or supplement multiple tasks that would otherwise require human hours, the investment could pay off. The Verge notes that Teammates require a subscription to the Max plan, which also includes access to Perplexity Computer and other features.

Comparison to Competitors

Perplexity’s Teammates enter a market already populated by similar offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic. The Verge describes them as similar to OpenAI’s Dots and Claude Duet, but Perplexity’s version is more expensive. The key differentiator is that Teammates are built on top of Perplexity Computer, which can deploy agents on your device.

For small businesses, the choice may come down to which platform they already use. If a business relies on Perplexity for search and research, Teammates integrate seamlessly. If they use other tools, they may need to evaluate whether the $200 monthly cost is worth the convenience of having always-on agents that pull from existing Perplexity data.

Practical Implications for Small Business Owners

The always-on nature of Teammates means small businesses can automate repetitive tasks that currently eat up staff time. For example, a retail store could use a Teammate to monitor inventory levels and automatically reorder supplies when stock runs low. A service business could use a Teammate to handle appointment scheduling and send reminders to clients.

Because Teammates can work simultaneously on multiple tasks, a small business owner could assign different agents to different functions without needing to manage them individually. The agents can also collaborate with each other, which could streamline workflows that involve multiple steps.

However, the $200 monthly price tag means small businesses should carefully assess whether the ROI justifies the cost. For businesses with high-volume repetitive tasks, the investment may be worthwhile. For others, it may be more cost-effective to stick with simpler automation tools.

Takeaways

• Perplexity Teammates are always-on AI agents that can handle multiple tasks simultaneously, pulling from existing Perplexity tools.
• They cost $200 per month through the Max plan, which is more expensive than competitors but includes full integration with Perplexity Computer.
• For small businesses, Teammates can automate scheduling, customer queries, and inventory updates, freeing staff to focus on growth.