AI search company Perplexity has taken a major leap forward with the launch of its new Labs feature, signaling a strategic shift from being a pure search tool to becoming a full-fledged AI project development platform. This move positions the company to compete more directly with industry heavyweights like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.

Enhanced Capabilities for Complex Projects

The new Lab mode offers significant technical improvements over Perplexity's previous "research" focused approach:

• Extended Runtime: Projects can now run independently for over ten minutes, enabling more complex processing
• Multifunctional Integration: Combines web searches, code execution, and file creation in one platform
• Diverse Outputs: Supports creation of reports, tables, dashboards, and even basic web applications

Streamlined User Experience

The platform introduces several UX enhancements. Users can now easily access all outputs through an "Assets" tab or display applications directly in the project interface. To accelerate onboarding, Perplexity provides numerous example templates in its project library.

Strategic Response to Market Shifts

This expansion comes as Perplexity faces increasing pressure from comprehensive AI tools that have eroded its competitive edge in the search space. By developing Labs, the company aims to reposition itself as a versatile AI work platform rather than just a search specialist.

The Labs feature is currently available on web and iOS platforms, with Mac and Windows versions coming soon. Notably, access is limited to Perplexity Professional users - a strategic choice that targets high-value customers while creating new revenue opportunities.

Key Points

1. Perplexity Labs extends runtime to over 10 minutes for complex projects
2. Platform now integrates search, coding, and file creation capabilities
3. Targets professional users as company shifts from pure search focus
4. Available on web/iOS now; desktop versions coming soon