How much RAM does Perplexity's local Computer agent need?

Perplexity users with a recent Apple Silicon Mac can now run the company’s Computer agent entirely on their own hardware. The local version includes the agent’s harness and orchestrator, the core software that coordinates how tasks get done. The catch is memory: you’ll need at least 36GB of RAM.

The release builds on Hybrid Compute, which Perplexity introduced at the start of September. That update let users split AI workloads between frontier models in the cloud and local models running on their own machines. The fully local option takes that idea to its logical end.

Perplexity is pitching the feature to two groups: budget-conscious users and people who want to keep their data private. The company offers a clear example. With access to your Notes and Mail apps, you could ask Computer to build a priority to-do list, and none of the data in your emails would leave your machine.

“As more demanding workflows become practical to run locally, the machines people already own will take on a larger share of their AI work,” the company said. “This gives users more control over sensitive data and credit spend.”

Which local models can power Perplexity Computer on a Mac?

Users can pick one of two models to run Computer locally. The first is Qwen 3.6. The second is PPLX Pro, a Perplexity offshoot of Qwen 3.6 that the company post-trained to fine-tune it for Computer use.

Local doesn’t have to mean limited. If a task would benefit from more horsepower, users can authorize the software to call on one of more than 15 models. Perplexity says any code or tool execution a task requires runs inside an isolated sandbox environment. “These same security protocols persist in the cloud version of Perplexity Computer,” the company said.

Access is limited to paying customers for now. Perplexity Pro, Max and Enterprise subscribers can begin using Computer locally starting today. To get started, download and install the latest version of the Perplexity Mac app, then follow the in-app instructions to download and install a local model.

Questo articolo è stato scritto con l'assistenza dell'IA.
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