How I Use Perplexity
If there’s one AI tool I reach for every day without fail, it’s Perplexity. It has become my go-to assistant for staying up to date with the latest news and exploring new topics. I wanted to share how I use it, why I keep coming back to it, and a few features I think are genuinely worth exploring.
My Two Main Use Cases: News and Learning
I use Perplexity primarily in two ways:
To stay informed – I check in with it throughout the day to catch up on current events. In the fast-paced world we live in, it has been such a useful tool to help me stay updated on current affairs. It is accurate, focused, and helps me cut through the noise — and we all know there is plenty of noise.
To learn new skills – Whether it’s a concept I’ve come across in tech, a historical event I want to understand better, or a tool I want to explore, Perplexity serves as a solid research assistant and resident expert on the topic at hand.
The way Perplexity distils information and key concepts definitely helps me retain information more efficiently and makes me feel like I’m getting smarter. Whether I am or not is still up for debate.
Hey Human! Source Checking Still Matters
Caveat: Please, do not forget that AI tools should facilitate human thinking — don’t neglect the magnificence of the human brain amidst the hype! I always make it a priority to check the original sources that these tools reference, and I encourage you to do the same. Even though I usually find Perplexity to be accurate, AI hallucinations still happen — and it’s on us as users to verify what we’re reading.
I’ve tested Perplexity a fair bit by reading full articles first, then prompting it to summarise them. In most cases, the summary reflects the content well — which speaks to the quality of its comprehension. However, it’s not always accurate, so you should always double-check.
The iOS App: A Handy Everyday Companion
I use an iPhone, and the iOS app is really well made. I keep the Perplexity widget on my Lock Screen for fast access, which is perfect for when something crosses my mind and I want a quick answer.
Voice mode is included too. It’s not quite at ChatGPT’s level in terms of how natural the voice assistant sounds, but it’s still solid and fast enough for casual use.
The Discover Tab: Curated Curiosity
Another feature I use quite a lot is Discover. This section highlights trending or interesting topics being searched and explored by others. I’ve stumbled across some genuinely useful and insightful stories here. It has also helped me discover new blogs and websites — and that’s a very nice side effect!
That said, I do find it to be a bit too US-centric. I’d love to see Perplexity introduce more regional curation in the future. For example, I’m in the UK and have no interest in American sports like NFL and MLB — but despite my best efforts at disliking these stories, they still seem to sneak in. For the most part, though, it’s a great way to stay informed and see what’s trending.
Grouping Ideas with Spaces
Perplexity Spaces is a standout feature for anyone working across multiple projects or areas of interest. If you’re not using it yet, here’s why you might want to:
Spaces let you group related chats together — think of it like folders for your AI conversations.
You can set custom instructions (essentially a system prompt), which apply to every conversation within that space.
For example, I have Spaces dedicated to:
- AI Tools
- Current Affairs
- 20th Century History
- 90s Culture
Each Space carries its own context, so I don’t need to repeat myself when returning to a topic. It’s especially useful if you’re doing ongoing research or want more structured results tailored to a specific theme.
Playing with New Models
One of the big benefits of using Perplexity is how fast they roll out access to new AI models. You can switch between them easily and compare how they handle different types of queries. Some are better for reasoning, others for speed or summarisation — and it’s fun to test and learn the differences to understand which model works best.
Don’t Sleep on “Labs”
A recent feature that I think deserves more attention is Perplexity Labs. In their blog post introducing Labs, Perplexity says that “Using Labs is like having a team.” Think of Labs as a lightweight way to prototype useful tools. It enables users to transform ideas and research into fully realised outputs — such as reports, spreadsheets, dashboards, and even basic web apps — in minutes.
Acting like a virtual project team, Labs combines advanced AI capabilities including deep research, code execution, and visualisation tools to handle complex, multi-step workflows that would otherwise take days and require multiple skill sets. Everything generated is organised in dedicated tabs for easy access, download, and sharing — making it ideal for business analysis, marketing plans, or personal projects. Accessible via the mode selector on web and mobile, Perplexity Labs empowers anyone to turn curiosity into action without the need for coding or juggling multiple apps — streamlining the path from idea to execution.
Final Thoughts
Perplexity continues to impress me. It’s fast, reliable, and constantly evolving. Whether you’re chasing a breaking news story, exploring a new topic, or experimenting with the latest models, it’s a powerful companion for curiosity and learning.
It’s rare to find a product that balances usability with cutting-edge features so well. I’m genuinely a happy customer, and if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend giving it a go.