[Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai) is making its play for the enterprise. The AI search startup today unveiled Teammates, a new product that lets users deploy multiple AI agents across their workspace to handle different jobs at once. It’s a direct shot at [OpenAI](https://openai.com) and [Anthropic](https://www.anthropic.com), both of which have rolled out their own workplace agent platforms in recent months.
The timing isn’t coincidental. As [OpenAI acquired Pierre Computer to supercharge its coding capabilities](https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/openai-acquires-pierre-computer-to-supercharge-codex) last week and [Anthropic’s compute costs continue climbing ahead of its IPO](https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/anthropic-s-compute-margins-worsen-despite-scale), Perplexity is betting it can carve out territory in the red-hot AI agent market before the giants lock it down.
Teammates builds on top of [Perplexity Computer](https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-perplexity-computer), the company’s recently launched system that deploys agents directly on user devices. But where Computer handles discrete tasks, Teammates is designed for the long haul. According to [Perplexity’s announcement](https://www.perplexity.ai), the new agents can tackle “ongoing, large-scale work” while collaborating across different functions.
The architecture mirrors what [OpenAI’s Dots](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1004096/openai-chatgpt-dots-hands-on-agent) and [Claude Duet](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1015843/anthropic-claude-duet-ai-agent) already do – let users assign specialized roles to different agents that run continuously in the background. One Teammate might monitor your inbox while another tracks project deadlines and a third compiles research reports. The agents pull from your existing Perplexity workspace, including past projects, custom skills you’ve built, and accumulated memory from previous interactions.
What sets Teammates apart is the integration play. Since Perplexity already has users relying on its search and research tools, the company can hook Teammates directly into those workflows without requiring a separate onboarding process. It’s the kind of distribution advantage that helped [Microsoft](https://microsoft.com) turn Copilot into an enterprise juggernaut.
But Perplexity faces serious headwinds. [OpenAI has been aggressively courting enterprise customers](https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/openai-taps-ex-army-secretary-driscoll-for-defense-push), even tapping a former Army Secretary to lead its national security push. [Anthropic just dropped Q3 financials](https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/anthropic-drops-q3-financials-in-amended-ipo-filing) showing massive revenue growth despite margin pressure. And both companies have war chests that dwarf Perplexity’s resources.
The agent space is getting crowded fast. Beyond OpenAI and Anthropic, players like [Google](https://google.com) with Gemini and [Microsoft](https://microsoft.com) with Copilot are pouring billions into similar capabilities. Even hardware startups are getting in on the action – [Aina just launched a smart ring](https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/aina-s-smart-ring-turns-ai-agents-into-one-tap-assistants) that turns AI agents into one-tap assistants.
Perplexity hasn’t disclosed pricing for Teammates or whether it’ll be bundled with existing subscriptions. The company also didn’t specify which underlying models power the agents or how they handle data privacy – critical questions for enterprise buyers already nervous about AI security.
The launch comes as the AI industry hits an inflection point. Agents are moving from demos to production, and the companies that nail the enterprise use case stand to capture enormous value. [OpenAI’s Sam Altman has been on a global tour](https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/openai-inks-four-abu-dhabi-deals-as-altman-courts-gulf-ai-power) inking deals from Abu Dhabi to Seoul, while [Anthropic races toward an IPO](https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/anthropic-drops-q3-financials-in-amended-ipo-filing) that could value it north of $40 billion.
For Perplexity, Teammates represents a crucial evolution. The company built its reputation on search, but search alone won’t support a venture-scale outcome in a world where [Google](https://google.com) and [Microsoft](https://microsoft.com) dominate. Agents offer a path to stickier, higher-value enterprise relationships – if Perplexity can execute before the window closes.
Perplexity’s Teammates launch shows the AI agent wars are entering their next phase, with startups racing to claim enterprise territory before OpenAI and Anthropic lock it down. The company’s integration advantage could help it punch above its weight, but it’ll need to move fast. With OpenAI acquiring dev tools companies and Anthropic preparing to go public with massive resources, the window for challengers is narrowing. Whether Teammates becomes a genuine alternative or gets crushed by better-funded competitors will likely be decided in the next six months as enterprises make their first major agent platform commitments.
