Perplexity AI just shipped a product that flips the default assumption of modern AI tools. Instead of sending every query to a distant data center and hoping for the best, the new Portable Computer runs directly on NVIDIA’s DGX Spark hardware, processing tasks locally before ever touching the cloud.
The feature is available now for Perplexity Pro and Max subscribers.
What Portable Computer actually does
Portable Computer is a local version of Perplexity Computer, the company’s AI agent platform. It runs on NVIDIA’s DGX Spark, a desktop system that packs 1 petaflop of AI performance into a form factor that sits on your desk rather than in a server rack.
The core pitch is privacy by default. The system handles orchestration, file searching, and planning tasks entirely on-device. It only escalates to cloud resources when the user explicitly approves the handoff.
