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Siri typically serves arsenic my sound adjunct erstwhile I'm driving and my iPhone is connected via Apple CarPlay. And that's good for interactive tasks specified arsenic playing music, getting driving directions, mounting a reminder, and calling aliases texting someone. But Siri often stumbles pinch much analyzable aliases challenging questions, nan type that you'd usually inquire an AI.
With Apple's caller CarPlay support for third-party sound assistants, you're capable to talk straight and hands-free pinch celebrated AI apps. So far, you tin chat by sound successful nan car pinch ChatGPT and Perplexity AI conscionable arsenic you would astatine location aliases elsewhere. That intends you tin inquire them questions, make requests, and prosecute successful back-and-forth conversations.
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There is 1 obstruction here. The ChatGPT sound adjunct useful pinch CarPlay, nary matter your relationship type -- free, Go, Plus, aliases Pro. Perplexity, though, is different story. For this, you request nan Pro version, which usually costs $20 a month. But location are a fewer tricks for scoring a free twelvemonth of Perplexity Pro, arsenic described successful this article by my chap ZDNET writer Artie Beaty.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's genitor company, revenge an April 2025 suit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights successful training and operating its AI systems.)
Before we get started, present are immoderate preliminaries.
What you request to get started
First, you people request an iPhone and a conveyance that supports CarPlay. My 2025 Toyota Camry came pinch CarPlay, truthful I'm bully to go. Otherwise, nan bottommost of Apple's CarPlay page reveals nan cars and iPhone models that support CarPlay.
Second, you must person nan latest versions of nan ChatGPT app and nan Perplexity app connected your iPhone. If you already usage nan apps, pat your floor plan icon successful nan App Store app, take App Updates, swipe down connected nan surface to refresh it, past download nan latest versions of some if necessary.
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Third, your iPhone must beryllium running iOS 26.4 aliases later. This type added CarPlay support for third-party AI chatbots for illustration ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Claude. The companies down each AI request to return advantage of this caller support, pinch OpenAI and Perplexity starring nan way.
Assuming you meet each nan criteria, commencement up your car and make judge your iPhone is connected, either wirelessly aliases done Bluetooth. My Camry comes pinch wireless charging and synchronization, truthful I don't person to plug it into a USB larboard arsenic I did pinch my erstwhile vehicle.
After your telephone is connected, you should spot icons for ChatGPT and Perplexity connected nan CarPlay dashboard screen. If not, spell to Settings connected your iPhone, prime General, and pat CarPlay. Select your car and past pat Apps. You'll spot a database of each nan apps compatible pinch CarPlay. Among those should beryllium ChatGPT and Perplexity.
From there, you tin move nan 2 apps higher aliases little successful nan database by dragging them by nan three-lined hamburger icon. I moved some apps higher successful nan database truthful they'd beryllium accessible from my main screen.
To usage ChatGPT, pat nan icon connected nan CarPlay screen, past take "New sound chat." Wait for nan relationship to footwear in, arsenic nan matter connected nan show changes from Connecting to Listening. You tin past footwear disconnected your conversation, and ChatGPT will respond arsenic it usually would.
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For Perplexity AI, pat nan icon connected nan screen, past pat Connect. When nan surface invites you to "ask anything," you tin past commencement chatting.
With everything group up connected my end, I precocious tried some ChatGPT and Perplexity to spot really each performed. I gave each 1 akin questions and requests to spot if I could state a winner. Here are nan tasks I threw astatine them and really they handled each one.
Usually I inquire Siri for driving directions, but I wanted to spot if either ChatGPT aliases Perplexity could besides supply them. ChatGPT can't service up directions arsenic it's incapable to spot my location. Perplexity, though, tin tackle this task. In this case, I asked it for driving directions to Faneuil Hall successful Boston. After requesting entree to my location, Perplexity took maine to Apple Maps pinch a representation and nan basal turn-by-turn steps.
Winner: Perplexity
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Next, I asked each 1 to urge a section Mexican restaurant. Again, ChatGPT couldn't thief pinch this because it can't position my location. Perplexity named respective adjacent restaurants and asked maine which 1 I preferred. After I picked nan 1 I wanted, nan AI displayed nan directions via Apple Maps.
Winner: Perplexity
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Requesting euphony is different occupation I reserve for Siri. And that's still nan champion option. ChatGPT can't play euphony from immoderate work arsenic it doesn't person entree to my iPhone. Perplexity is expected to beryllium capable play tunes from Apple Music and Spotify. Outside of nan car and CarPlay, I utilized nan Perplexity app to play circumstantial songs from Spotify, which worked well. However, nan AI grounded erstwhile I asked it to play a opus from Spotify successful nan car via CarPlay. The opus appeared successful nan Spotify app connected my iPhone, but I had to manually commencement it, defeating nan full intent of a hands-free approach.
Winner: Neither
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With some ChatGPT and Perplexity, I tried placing a telephone call, sending a matter message, and sending an email. Neither could execute those tasks owed to restrictions successful accessing nan individual info connected my phone. So I'll instrumentality pinch Siri for these requests.
Winner: Neither
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Here, nan results were different. As I expected, ChatGPT couldn't entree my almanac to position aliases make appointments. However, Perplexity was capable to publication disconnected my appointments and adhd caller ones.
Winner: Perplexity
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The results present were nan same. ChatGPT couldn't adhd a reminder to my iPhone, but Perplexity was capable to group up one.
Winner: Perplexity
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Here, I asked some AIs to show maine really nan American Civil War started. Both offered valid and succinct explanations that answered my question.
Winner: Tie
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I asked some services to urge immoderate awesome science-fiction novels from nan 1960s. Both gave maine astir 4 titles to start. Perplexity moreover suggested a fewer further books. But ChatGPT added much flair and characteristic to its consequence by describing nan books successful colorful language. Perplexity simply listed nan titles and authors without immoderate further details.
Winner: ChatGPT
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I asked some AIs to show maine a communicative astir my feline Mr. Giggles landing connected nan moon. ChatGPT spun a nosy and imaginative yarn astir Mr. Giggles' travel from Earth to nan moon. Perplexity was much literal, first telling maine that a feline couldn't really recreation to nan moon. The communicative it recited besides lacked nan imagination and flair that ChatGPT provided.
Winner: ChatGPT
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In nan temper to play an interactive game, I asked ChatGPT and Perplexity to situation maine pinch a trivia quiz. Both served up respective awesome questions astir wide and circumstantial topics.
Winner: Tie
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With a travel planned for Italy adjacent year, I asked nan 2 AIs to thief maine study Italian. Both asked maine what types of phrases I'd for illustration to learn. After telling them I wanted to believe wide phrases, they each started disconnected pinch communal words and terms, pronouncing them successful Italian and explaining what they meant successful English. Both corrected maine if I mispronounced a connection but congratulated maine erstwhile I sewage them right.
Winner: Tie
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Finally, I told some services that I was getting saturated and tired pinch driving and that I wanted to chat pinch them to walk nan time. They asked maine what I wanted to discuss, and I suggested thing offbeat. ChatGPT encouraged a existent back-and-forth speech to support maine engaged and interested. Perplexity mostly recited accusation and didn't prosecute maine arsenic much.
Winner: ChatGPT
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OK, truthful who was nan eventual winner? That depends successful portion connected really you'd usage nan AI. Perplexity scored awesome points because it was capable to supply driving directions and entree my almanac and reminders. But I tin ever usage Siri for those types of tasks.
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The existent worth of a third-party AI utilizing CarPlay is tackling things you can't do pinch Siri -- answering questions, telling stories, and engaging successful conversation. And here, ChatGPT edged retired nan competition.
Of course, you don't person to take 1 complete nan other. You tin effort them both. But nan adjacent clip I'm driving unsocial and request personification (or something) to walk nan time, I'll beryllium much apt to move to ChatGPT for an absorbing chat.
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