Perplexity launches always-on AI agents called Teammates
Perplexity has released Teammates, AI agents that work on ongoing projects around the clock, according to The Decoder. They need the $200-a-month Max plan.
The facts
- According to The Decoder, Perplexity's new Teammates run around the clock and work through ongoing projects on their own, unlike Perplexity Computer, which handles one-off tasks.
- Each Teammate gets its own virtual machine with a desktop and browser. Users follow progress in dedicated threads in the Perplexity app and can talk to the agents through Slack.
- Teammates need the Max plan at $200 per month. The Decoder lists similar agents from SpaceX (Grok Bots), Meta (Muse), OpenAI (Dots, from $100) and Anthropic (Duet, from $20).
- The Decoder says SpaceX tightened usage caps on Grok Bots days ago because of heavy agent use, and that Perplexity's annualised revenue topped $750 million as of August.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
The race is moving from chatbots you talk to, to agents that keep working while you sleep. That changes the pricing question. An agent that runs all day uses far more compute than a chat session, and the usage caps at SpaceX show the bill arrives fast. Cheap plans look attractive until the limits hit. At $200 a month, this is a tool for companies, not for most individuals, and certainly not for a Lagos freelancer paying in naira.
For builders
Always-on agents with their own virtual machine and a Slack front end are becoming standard. If you build workflow tools, test how these agents behave under usage limits before you promise clients anything. Check what each plan really includes, not just the headline price.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from The Decoder's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.