Perplexity is not just an answer engine anymore. In October 2026, it launched two features that small business teams should pay attention to: Automations, which let you run recurring AI tasks on a schedule, and a Decisions API, which lets you programmatically classify and score content. Together, they turn Perplexity from a tool you search into a tool that works for you in the background.
For small businesses in India that are already using AI tools like ChatGPT or n8n for automation, Perplexity’s new features offer a different angle. Instead of building workflows from scratch, you set up an Automation once and let it run. The Decisions API handles classification tasks that would otherwise need manual review.
Here is what each feature does and how a small team can actually use them.
What Are Perplexity Automations?
According to Perplexity’s October 5 changelog, Automations let you run recurring work in Computer, Perplexity’s agent product, on a schedule or when events occur in connected apps. You can set an Automation to run daily, weekly, or triggered by something happening in a connected tool. Automations can use Memory, Streams, and connected apps to do their work.
Think of it as a way to make Perplexity do research for you on autopilot. Instead of opening the app and asking a question each morning, you set up an Automation that runs the same query at a scheduled time and delivers results to your connected app or inbox.
The feature launched alongside inline visualizations and support for GPT-6.1 Sol, one of the newer models available on Perplexity’s platform.
What Is the Decisions API?
On October 19, Perplexity added the Decisions API, described in its changelog as a way to classify and score content programmatically. The same update introduced Ultrafast model options for GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol, prioritizing response speed.
A Decisions API is useful when you need to sort through large amounts of content and make consistent judgments about it. For example, you could use it to classify customer feedback as positive, negative, or neutral. Or to score leads based on how well they match your ideal customer profile. Or to filter news articles about your industry by relevance.
The API approach means you can integrate it into your existing tools, whether that is a CRM, a spreadsheet, or a custom dashboard. For small teams that do not have a developer on staff, this may require help from a technical partner, but the use cases are straightforward.
5 Practical Ways Small Businesses Can Use These Features
1. Daily competitor monitoring
Set up an Automation that searches for your competitors each morning and summarizes what they posted, what news they appeared in, and any pricing changes. Have it delivered to your Slack or email before you start your day.
2. Customer feedback classification
Use the Decisions API to sort incoming customer reviews or support tickets by sentiment and urgency. Route negative feedback to your team immediately and batch positive feedback for monthly reporting.
3. Industry news roundup
An Automation can gather and summarize the top stories in your industry each week. For a healthcare clinic, that might mean updates on regulations, new treatments, or insurance changes. For a retail business, it might mean tracking competitor promotions and market trends.
4. Lead scoring
Feed incoming enquiry forms through the Decisions API to score each lead based on budget, timeline, and service fit. Focus your sales effort on high-scoring leads instead of treating every enquiry equally.
5. Content research for your blog or social media
An Automation can research topics you want to write about, pull key statistics, and list source URLs. This cuts your content prep time significantly and ensures your posts are backed by current data.
Setting Up Your First Automation
Starting with Perplexity Automations is simpler than you might expect. Open Computer on the Perplexity web app, create a new Automation, and choose your trigger. You can set it to run at a specific time each day or week, or trigger it when something happens in a connected app like Gmail or Slack.
Write the task in plain language. For example, “Find the top 5 news articles about electric vehicle regulations in India from the last 24 hours and summarize each in two sentences with the source URL.” Test it once manually to make sure the output is useful, then set it to run automatically.
The key is to start with one Automation that saves you visible time each week. Once you see the value, you can add more. Common first Automations for local businesses include daily competitor checks, weekly industry news roundups, and daily monitoring of review sites for new customer feedback.
How Perplexity Compares to Other AI Automation Tools
If you are already using n8n, Zapier, or Make for automation, you might wonder where Perplexity fits. The key difference is that Perplexity Automations are AI-native. They are designed around research, summarization, and content classification, not just moving data between apps.
For pure workflow automation (when X happens, do Y), n8n and Zapier remain stronger. For AI-powered research and content tasks, Perplexity Automations are more capable out of the box. Many small businesses will end up using both: n8n for the plumbing and Perplexity for the intelligence layer.
The Decisions API fills a different niche. It is for teams that need consistent, repeatable classification of text data. If you are manually sorting reviews, leads, or content, the API can save hours per week.
What You Need to Get Started
Perplexity’s Computer product, including Automations, requires a Perplexity subscription. The Decisions API requires an API key and some technical setup. If you have a developer or work with an agency, the integration is straightforward. If you do not, you can start with Automations through the web interface and add API integrations later.
The Ultrafast model option, added October 19, is worth using for Automations that need quick responses. For deeper research tasks, the standard model speed may actually be better since it allows more thorough processing.
AI automation does not need to be complicated. If you want help setting up AI workflows for your business, our AI and automation services cover everything from tool selection to custom integrations. Book a call to discuss what would work for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Perplexity Automations?
Perplexity Automations is a feature that lets you run recurring AI tasks on a schedule or triggered by events in connected apps. It launched on October 5, 2026 as part of Perplexity’s Computer product, allowing small teams to automate research, monitoring, and content tasks.
Do I need coding skills to use Perplexity Automations?
No. Automations can be set up through Perplexity’s web interface without writing code. The Decisions API, however, requires some technical integration. If you do not have a developer, start with Automations and add API features later.
How is Perplexity Automations different from Zapier or n8n?
Zapier and n8n are general-purpose automation tools for moving data between apps. Perplexity Automations are AI-native, designed specifically for research, summarization, and content classification tasks. Many businesses will use both together.
What does the Perplexity Decisions API do?
The Decisions API lets you programmatically classify and score content. It is useful for tasks like sorting customer feedback by sentiment, scoring leads by quality, or filtering large volumes of text data by relevance.
Is Perplexity Automations available in India?
Perplexity’s features are generally available globally with a subscription. Automations launched as part of the Computer product on October 5, 2026. Check Perplexity’s current subscription options for your region.