The interaction with Siri started with a simple request: “Hey Siri, book me a table for four people, 7 PM, at Blue Tokai coffee shop in New Friends Colony.” Siri’s response? “Do you want me to use ChatGPT to answer that?” This highlights the current limitations of Apple’s voice assistant and sets the stage for a comparison with a rising competitor, Perplexity AI Assistant.
Home page for Perplexity Assistant interactions in Perplexity app.
Repeated attempts with Siri yielded irrelevant results, directing to a furniture shop, a coaching center, and a dessert shop. In contrast, Perplexity AI effortlessly processed the same request, presenting a pre-filled reservation form ready for confirmation. This stark difference in performance showcases Perplexity’s ability to understand complex commands and execute actions effectively.
Making a reservation using the Perplexity iOS Voice Assistant.
What is Perplexity Assistant?
Launched in January 2025 for Android and April 2025 for iOS, Perplexity AI Assistant is a relative newcomer compared to established AI giants like Google Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot. Despite being a smaller player, Perplexity has gained a loyal following thanks to its powerful knowledge engine, which provides detailed, source-backed answers and follow-up query suggestions. Recent additions like Deep Research, Spaces, and Pages further enhance its capabilities.
Perplexity on Nothing Phone 2a.
Outshining Siri in its Native Environment
Perplexity AI consistently outperformed Siri in various tests within the iOS ecosystem. While Siri failed to find “The a La Menthe” by The Caution on Apple Music, Perplexity AI quickly located and played the song, showcasing superior voice recognition and integration with Apple services.
Comparison of Siri and Perplexity Assistant at ordering food.
When asked to find a suitable coffee shop for work, Siri deferred to ChatGPT. Perplexity AI, however, presented options on Apple Maps, along with sources like Reddit, Instagram, dining apps, TripAdvisor, and reputable websites. This demonstrated Perplexity’s ability to provide trustworthy, real-world recommendations.
Comparison of Siri and Perplexity Assistant at booking a cab.
Seamless App Integration
Perplexity AI excels at cross-app functionality, surpassing Siri in interactions with both native and third-party apps. For instance, it successfully located and played a specific YouTube video that Siri couldn’t find, demonstrating accurate voice processing and seamless YouTube integration.
Comparison of Siri and Perplexity Assistant at finding videos on internet.
Furthermore, Perplexity AI efficiently handles tasks across apps like Mail, Apple Podcast, Apple Music, Calendar, Reminders, Maps, Uber, and OpenTable. It successfully booked an Uber ride and composed an email, tasks where Siri faltered.
Comparison of Siri and Perplexity Assistant at music search and playback.
Knowledge Search and Future Potential
Perplexity AI also provided accurate information about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch date, complete with sources, while Siri again relied on ChatGPT. Even setting reminders proved smoother with Perplexity AI.
Comparison of Siri and Perplexity Assistant at composing email.
Perplexity Assistant running in the background.
While Siri’s future remains uncertain, Perplexity AI’s rapid evolution is impressive. Its superior performance and seamless integration make it a compelling alternative, highlighting the need for Apple to significantly enhance Siri’s capabilities.
