Perplexity
Get a cited, verifiable answer instead of ten blue links.
~15 min read + 10 min hands-on1 Why this tool matters
Perplexity is the tool you reach for when you want a cited answer fast. It searches the web in real time and writes a short synthesis with sources attached to every claim. It is less opinionated than ChatGPT and more focused than Google — a middle ground that is often exactly right for work questions.
2 Walkthrough
- Go to perplexity.ai. No account required to start.
- Ask: What are the main differences between HSAs and FSAs for a US employee choosing benefits this year?
- Read the answer. Each claim has a numbered source you can click.
- Try one of the follow-up suggestions at the bottom.
- Toggle Focus → Academic and re-ask a research question to see peer-reviewed sources only.
3 Your turn
Today’s exercise
Use Perplexity to answer a factual question you have been meaning to look up — a regulation, a historical fact, a comparison between two products. Open two of the cited sources to confirm. Save the conversation; Perplexity keeps a searchable history.
4 Pro tip
Perplexity Spaces let you pin a set of trusted sources (your company wiki, a specific set of journals) and ask questions scoped to only those. Worth the 2 minutes to set up one.