Prime Highlights
- Perplexity has introduced a fresh AI chatbot on X (Twitter) that can create short videos from tagged prompts.
- The feature has gone viral with both enthusiasm and misinformation concerns.
Key Facts
- People can create 8-second AI-made videos by tagging @AskPerplexity with a text prompt.
- Demand first created delays that led to witty responses from the bot itself.
- Perplexity employs strict filters to avoid the dissemination of false or injurious content.
Key Background
Perplexity, a new AI search startup that wants to compete with tech giants such as Google, has introduced an innovative new feature that enables users to create short AI videos using its chatbot on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter). The service works through the @AskPerplexity account, where users can simply tag the handle with an instruction. The bot then makes an 8-second video with visuals and AI-created audio commentary.
The capability fast went viral, with users testing all sorts of prompts—ranging from learning materials to joke or imaginative situations. The speedy uptake resulted in brief periods of video production slowdowns because of server congestion, which was met with sarcastic replies from the bot requesting help, further spreading its popularity.
While this innovation has been hailed for its originality and potential to revolutionize online interaction, it also presents serious issues. X, owned by Elon Musk, has already come under fire for its cutbacks in content moderation. Adding powerful AI-created media to such a platform expands the danger of disinformation, particularly when videos can have realistic depictions of public figures or fictionalized storylines that can be misconstrued.
In response to this, Perplexity asserts that it has incorporated strong content filters into the system to ensure that it is not misused. While the company has not disclosed technical details, it has asserted a high level of commitment to ethical AI use. This move is particularly important given that the company is involved in legal battles with giant publishers such as the BBC, who allege that Perplexity is abusing content to train AI. The company has denied these allegations.
This launch also intensifies competition between Perplexity and xAI’s Grok chatbot, also present on X, although Grok does not currently offer video generation capabilities. Beyond X, Perplexity is expanding to other platforms as well—it recently rolled out a WhatsApp chatbot version to make AI-driven search more accessible.
Finally, the feature embodies Perplexity’s overall vision: blending AI search and multimedia generation to lead the way in the expanding universe of interactive digital media.
