Perplexity Reworks Agent API Effort Curve

Perplexity is turning model routing into a continuously optimized control plane: better quality per dollar, but more risk for teams expecting stable behavior.

• –Dynamic effort levels automatically adopt newer configurations as evaluations improve.
• –Cost and latency bands remain roughly stable while quality becomes the optimization target.
• –Larger xhigh budgets make long-horizon research agents more capable, but increase timeout and spend risk.
• –Production teams should pin effort versions for reliable evaluations, regression testing, and audits.
• –The real product shift is managed model evolution, not merely another API parameter.