Perplexity AI Tool

The Perplexity AI tool provides your agents with powerful web search and research capabilities. It leverages Perplexity’s advanced AI models to search the web, analyze information, and provide comprehensive, citation-backed responses.

This tool has Pro status, meaning it requires a professional subscription and provides advanced features for premium users.

Overview

The Perplexity AI tool transforms your agents into research assistants capable of:

Real-Time Web Search

Search the latest information from across the web

AI-Powered Analysis

Intelligent analysis and synthesis of search results

Source Citations

Automatic citation and source tracking for all information

Domain Filtering

Focus searches on specific domains or exclude unwanted sources

Configuration Parameters

model

select

required

The Perplexity AI model to use for search and analysis
Options:

sonar - Fast, general-purpose search model
sonar-pro - Enhanced search with better reasoning
sonar-reasoning - Advanced reasoning capabilities
sonar-reasoning-pro - Most advanced model with superior analysis

system_message

textarea

required

System instructions that define the search behavior and response style
Default: "Search the web"
Example: "Search for the latest information and provide a comprehensive analysis with sources"
Tips: Be specific about the type of information needed and response format

search_domain_filter

input

Optional domain filter to restrict or focus searches
Example: "site:news.com OR site:reuters.com" (include only these domains)
Example: "-site:reddit.com -site:forum.com" (exclude these domains)
Format: Use Google search operators for domain filtering
Default: No filtering (searches entire web)

Setup Instructions

Verify Pro Subscription

Ensure your account has Pro access for Perplexity AI tools

Navigate to Tools

Go to the Tools section in your project dashboard

Create Perplexity AI Tool

Click Create Tool and select Perplexity AI

Select Model

Choose the appropriate Perplexity model for your use case

Configure System Message

Define how the tool should approach searches and format responses

Set Domain Filter (Optional)

Configure domain restrictions if needed for your use case

Test Search

Use the test button to verify search functionality

Add to Agent

Assign this tool to your agents in agent settings

Model Options

Sonar Models

Sonar
Sonar Pro
Sonar Reasoning
Sonar Reasoning Pro

Best for: Quick searches, basic information gatheringCharacteristics:

Fast response times
Good for straightforward queries
Efficient for high-volume searches
Cost-effective option

Use Cases:

News updates
Basic fact checking
Simple research queries
Real-time information needs

Configuration Examples

General Research Assistant

{
  "model": "sonar-pro",
  "system_message": "Search for comprehensive, up-to-date information on the given topic. Provide a detailed analysis with multiple perspectives and cite all sources. Focus on authoritative and recent sources.",
  "search_domain_filter": ""
}

News & Current Events

{
  "model": "sonar",
  "system_message": "Search for the latest news and developments. Prioritize recent articles from reputable news sources. Provide a summary of key points with publication dates and source links.",
  "search_domain_filter": "site:reuters.com OR site:ap.org OR site:bbc.com OR site:cnn.com"
}

Technical & Scientific Research

{
  "model": "sonar-reasoning-pro",
  "system_message": "Search for technical and scientific information with emphasis on peer-reviewed sources, official documentation, and expert analysis. Provide detailed explanations with proper citations.",
  "search_domain_filter": "site:arxiv.org OR site:nature.com OR site:science.org OR site:ieee.org"
}

Market & Business Intelligence

{
  "model": "sonar-reasoning",
  "system_message": "Search for business and market information including trends, company news, financial data, and industry analysis. Focus on authoritative business sources and recent developments.",
  "search_domain_filter": "site:bloomberg.com OR site:reuters.com OR site:wsj.com OR site:ft.com -site:reddit.com"
}

Academic Research

{
  "model": "sonar-reasoning-pro",
  "system_message": "Search for academic and scholarly information. Prioritize peer-reviewed papers, educational institutions, and authoritative academic sources. Provide comprehensive analysis with proper academic citations.",
  "search_domain_filter": "site:edu OR site:scholar.google.com OR site:jstor.org OR site:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov"
}

Domain Filtering

Include Specific Domains

Focus searches on trusted sources:

site:reuters.com OR site:bbc.com OR site:ap.org

Exclude Unreliable Sources

Remove low-quality or irrelevant sources:

-site:reddit.com -site:yahoo.com -site:answers.com

Combine Include and Exclude

site:edu OR site:gov -site:reddit.com -site:forum.com

Domain Categories

News Sources

Reputable News: site:reuters.com OR site:ap.org OR site:bbc.com OR site:npr.org Business News: site:bloomberg.com OR site:wsj.com OR site:ft.com Tech News: site:techcrunch.com OR site:ars-technica.com OR site:wired.com

Academic Sources

Educational: site:edu (all .edu domains) Research: site:arxiv.org OR site:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Journals: site:nature.com OR site:science.org OR site:ieee.org

Official Sources

Government: site:gov (all .gov domains) Organizations: site:who.int OR site:un.org OR site:worldbank.org Standards: site:iso.org OR site:ietf.org OR site:w3.org

Use Cases & Applications

Customer Support Enhancement

Purpose: Provide agents with real-time information lookup capabilities
Configuration:
  Model: sonar-pro
  System Message: "Search for product information, troubleshooting guides, and support documentation. Provide clear, actionable answers with source links."
  Domain Filter: "site:company-docs.com OR site:support.product.com"
Benefits:
  - Up-to-date product information
  - Real-time troubleshooting guidance
  - Access to latest documentation

Content Creation Assistant

Purpose: Research topics and gather information for content creation
Configuration:
  Model: sonar-reasoning
  System Message: "Search for comprehensive information on the topic. Include multiple perspectives, recent developments, and authoritative sources for content creation."
  Domain Filter: "-site:wikipedia.org -site:reddit.com" (exclude for originality)
Benefits:
  - Fresh, current information
  - Multiple source perspectives
  - Citation-ready research

Investment Research

Purpose: Gather financial and market intelligence
Configuration:
  Model: sonar-reasoning-pro
  System Message: "Search for financial data, market analysis, company news, and investment insights. Focus on recent developments and authoritative financial sources."
  Domain Filter: "site:bloomberg.com OR site:reuters.com OR site:sec.gov OR site:marketwatch.com"
Benefits:
  - Real-time market data
  - Company financial information
  - Regulatory filings access

Competitive Intelligence

Purpose: Monitor competitors and industry trends
Configuration:
  Model: sonar-pro
  System Message: "Search for competitor information, industry trends, product launches, and market developments. Provide analysis of competitive landscape."
  Domain Filter: "site:techcrunch.com OR site:venturebeat.com OR site:crunchbase.com"
Benefits:
  - Competitor monitoring
  - Industry trend analysis
  - Market intelligence gathering

Response Format

Structured Responses

Perplexity AI provides structured responses with:

{
  "search_results": [
    {
      "title": "Article Title",
      "url": "https://source.com/article",
      "snippet": "Relevant excerpt from the source",
      "published_date": "2024-01-15",
      "domain": "source.com"
    }
  ],
  "synthesized_response": "AI-generated synthesis of the search results",
  "citations": [
    "[1] Source Title - https://source.com/article",
    "[2] Another Source - https://another-source.com/page"
  ],
  "confidence_score": 0.85,
  "search_query": "reformulated search query used"
}

Citation Format

All responses include proper citations:

In-line Citations: Information is marked with [1], [2], etc.
Reference List: Complete source list with URLs
Source Metadata: Publication dates, domains, and titles
Confidence Indicators: Quality and reliability scores

Best Practices

Search Query Optimization

Specific Queries: More specific search requests yield better results. Instead of “market trends,” try “SaaS market trends Q4 2024.”

Use Keywords: Include specific terms and phrases
Ask Questions: Natural language questions work well
Specify Timeframes: Include dates when relevance matters
Define Scope: Clarify geographic or industry scope
Request Analysis: Ask for comparisons or analysis explicitly

System Message Best Practices

Effective System Messages:
  ✅ "Search for recent developments in AI regulation, focusing on EU and US policies from 2024. Provide analysis of key differences and implications."
  ✅ "Find the latest earnings reports and analyst opinions for tech companies in the S&P 500. Summarize key trends and outlook."
  
Less Effective:
  ❌ "Search the web"
  ❌ "Find information"

Domain Filtering Strategy

Quality Over Quantity: Filter for authoritative sources
Avoid Echo Chambers: Include diverse perspectives
Time Sensitivity: Use recent sources for current events
Source Type: Match source type to information need
Exclude Noise: Remove forums and user-generated content when needed

Performance Optimization

Caching Strategies

{
  "cache_policy": {
    "enable": true,
    "ttl": 1800,
    "key_template": "perplexity_{{query_hash}}_{{domain_filter}}"
  }
}

Cost Management

Model Selection: Use appropriate model for task complexity
Query Optimization: Craft efficient search queries
Result Caching: Cache frequently requested information
Domain Filtering: Reduce search scope when possible

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Poor Search Results

Symptoms: Irrelevant or low-quality search resultsSolutions:

Refine system message with more specific instructions
Add domain filtering to focus on quality sources
Use more specific search queries
Try a different model (upgrade to Pro or Reasoning)

Outdated Information

Symptoms: Search results contain old or stale informationSolutions:

Include time constraints in system message
Filter domains known for current content
Use keywords like “latest,” “recent,” “2024”
Avoid cached or archived sources

Rate Limiting

Symptoms: Search requests being throttled or delayedSolutions:

Implement request queuing
Use caching for repeated queries
Distribute requests across time
Monitor usage against limits

Citation Issues

Symptoms: Missing or broken source citationsSolutions:

Verify domain filtering isn’t too restrictive
Check if sources are accessible
Review system message citation requirements
Test with different model variants

Security & Compliance

Data Privacy

Search Queries: All queries are encrypted in transit
Result Storage: Search results can be cached securely
Source Access: No direct access to proprietary content
User Privacy: Individual search patterns are not tracked

Content Filtering

Inappropriate Content: Built-in content filtering
Copyright Respect: Only uses publicly available information
Fact Checking: AI-powered accuracy verification
Source Verification: Authoritative source prioritization

Next Steps

Configure Your First Search Tool

Set up Perplexity AI for your agent

Advanced Search Strategies

Learn advanced search optimization

Other Tools

Explore other available tools

API Reference

View the tools API documentation

Getting Started

🤖 Agents

🔧 Tools

🗄️ Datasources

📋 Batches

📊 Monitor

Advanced

​Perplexity AI Tool

​Overview

Real-Time Web Search

AI-Powered Analysis

Source Citations

Domain Filtering

​Configuration Parameters

​Setup Instructions

​Model Options

​Sonar Models

​Configuration Examples

​General Research Assistant

​News & Current Events

​Technical & Scientific Research

​Market & Business Intelligence

​Academic Research

​Domain Filtering

​Include Specific Domains

​Exclude Unreliable Sources

​Combine Include and Exclude

​Domain Categories

​Use Cases & Applications

​Customer Support Enhancement

​Content Creation Assistant

​Investment Research

​Competitive Intelligence

​Response Format

​Structured Responses

​Citation Format

​Best Practices

​Search Query Optimization

​System Message Best Practices

​Domain Filtering Strategy

​Performance Optimization

​Caching Strategies

​Cost Management

​Troubleshooting

​Common Issues

​Security & Compliance

​Data Privacy

​Content Filtering

​Next Steps

Configure Your First Search Tool

Advanced Search Strategies

Other Tools

API Reference

Perplexity AI Tool

Overview

Configuration Parameters

Setup Instructions

Model Options

Sonar Models

Configuration Examples

General Research Assistant

News & Current Events

Technical & Scientific Research

Market & Business Intelligence

Academic Research

Domain Filtering

Include Specific Domains

Exclude Unreliable Sources

Combine Include and Exclude

Domain Categories

Use Cases & Applications

Customer Support Enhancement

Content Creation Assistant

Investment Research

Competitive Intelligence

Response Format

Structured Responses

Citation Format

Best Practices

Search Query Optimization

System Message Best Practices

Domain Filtering Strategy

Performance Optimization

Caching Strategies

Cost Management

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Security & Compliance

Data Privacy

Content Filtering

Next Steps