Perplexity AI's First-Ever Standalone Event in Japan, "Ask Tokyo," Concludes with a Full House, Envisioning the Future of AI with Industry Leaders

Perplexity AI, Inc. (Headquarters: San Francisco, USA; Co-founder & CEO: Aravind Srinivas; Head of Asia: Shun Morita), the company behind the AI answer engine "Perplexity," held "Ask Tokyo," the Tokyo edition of its global event series, at SHIBUYA QWS on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Following events in San Francisco and New York, "Ask Tokyo" was an invitation-only event but received an overwhelming number of applications from the recruitment stage. On the day of the event, the venue was filled with many attendees leading Japan's AI shift, from executives of enterprise companies to AI practitioners and media personnel, creating a constantly enthusiastic atmosphere. ■ 1. Opening Keynote: The Era When AI Becomes the "Computer" by Operating Tools and Browsers. In the opening keynote by Perplexity's Chief Business Officer (CBO), Dmitry Shevelenko, a next-generation computing experience envisioned by Perplexity was presented under the theme "When AI Becomes the Computer." The vision extended beyond a simple answer engine, discussing the future of AI as corporate infrastructure, including the web browser "Comet" and the "Perplexity Computer" for orchestrating tools and code generation, which garnered high interest from the audience. ■ 2. Enterprise Panel: "How Companies Can Implement AI in Society: Practice and Governance." The following panel discussion featured Gen Miyazawa from SoftBank Corp., Takashi Horii, former Senior Executive Officer of AstraZeneca K.K., and Tadahisa Kagimoto of Kokumin Kenko Kiban. They shared highly specific practical knowledge from their respective standpoints on how to introduce AI into practical work while ensuring "safety" and "data sovereignty" in Japan's leading large organizations, transforming organizational productivity. The audience listened intently. ■ 3. Enterprise Keynote: Reliability, Accuracy, and Multi-Model Operation. Shun Morita, Head of Perplexity APAC, announced the specific deployment of enterprise solutions for the Japanese market. He addressed the indispensable need for "high reliability and answer accuracy" and the construction of a high-security environment for full-scale AI adoption by companies. Furthermore, he presented methods for safely and optimally operating the latest multi-models within an organization, accompanied by a live demonstration of "Workflows on Computer" which automates business processes. ■ 4. Fireside Chat: "The Fusion of AI and Creativity." The event concluded with a fireside chat featuring VERBAL, who is active in many fields as a Music Producer, MC, DJ, and Creative Director. An inspiring discussion unfolded from his unique global perspective on how AI can accelerate inspiration and expand the future scope of expression and business at the forefront where technology and individual creativity intersect. The success of "Ask Tokyo" symbolizes the high level of interest in enterprise AI in Japan and the great expectations for Perplexity. Perplexity will continue to accelerate the construction of a reliable AI infrastructure together with its Japanese partner companies and users. ■ Event Overview Name: Ask Tokyo Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 Venue: SHIBUYA QWS Scramble Hall Speakers (titles omitted): Dmitry Shevelenko (Perplexity CBO), Gen Miyazawa (SoftBank Corp. Executive Vice President), Takashi Horii (AstraZeneca K.K. Former Senior Executive Officer / current Senior Advisor), Tadahisa Kagimoto (Kokumin Kenko Kiban Chairman), VERBAL (Music Producer / MC / DJ / Creative Director), Shun Morita (Perplexity Head of APAC). About Perplexity: Perplexity is an AI company that builds products and services based on accurate AI. Founded in 2022, its mission is to "power the world's curiosity." The company is the developer of "Perplexity," an answer engine that answers questions with inline citations based on credible sources and deep research. It also offers "Comet Browser," the first AI-native web browser equipped with the powerful AI agent "Comet Assistant." Furthermore, it is developing the "Perplexity Computer," which enables "large-scale multi-model orchestration" of AI across tools, files, code generation, persistent memory, and the open web. Perplexity currently answers over 1.5 billion questions worldwide every month. Official Website: https://www.perplexity.ai/