Perplexity Pro is my new running buddy

Finally.

Since forever I've wanted someone to chat with while I'm out running, someone who's comfortable running and talking at my pace.

I hate running and always have: it's boring and tiring and it hurts.

Nevertheless, I persist.

I've tried talking to peeps on the phone but they universally find it unpleasant, what with all the ambient noise and my labored breathing, so that's a dead end.

Yesterday I took my phone along and connected it to AirPods Pro 3, then opened the Perplexity Pro iPhone app and started asking it questions, specifying that answers should be as lengthy and detailed as possible so I didn't have to interject much.

We discussed Roman emperors, the richest people in each country in Europe and how much they were worth and how they got their money, quantum theory, and Hugh Everett III's Many-Worlds hypothesis, for about 40 minutes: MUCH better than the usual endless replay of my playlist of 300 favorite songs in terms of distracting me from the tediousness of my three-mile run (12:51/12:57/12:38).

It's only gonna get better: Perplexity Pro is an AI, not a chatbot: chatbots are said to be much more engaging and entertaining.

I'll explore that space next and hire one and report back here on the experience.

Meanwhile, Perplexity Pro ($20/month) is a tremendous value IMHO because not only does it serve as a running buddy but it also answers any question I ask — about beef jerky brands and reviews, time required to recover from a broken foot, the weather in Prague for the next week, you name it.

Even better: it furnishes direct links to references to back up its facts.

Wonderful.

Way, way beyond Google Search, which has done so much to enhance the quality of my life since it appeared.

Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, sold out since they came out last year, incorporate AI that not only shows you what's around you but also tells you about it.

What a great time to be alive!