Why Perplexity AI Is My Go-To Research Tool as a Higher Education CIO
A guest post from Michael Lyons, CIO at MassBay Community College
I’m excited to share a guest post today from Michael Lyons, Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Officer at MassBay Community College.
I first met Michael last February when I delivered a keynote and workshops for MassBay faculty. Afterward, he shared some of his early experiments with generative AI in higher education and IT leadership. Since then, we’ve kept in touch, trading ideas and lessons learned as this space evolves.
In this post, Michael shares how he’s been using Perplexity AI as a research tool in his daily work. His perspective shows how educators and administrators can leverage AI not just for quick productivity gains, but also for deeper learning, informed decision-making, and creative problem-solving.
I hope you find his reflections as valuable as I do. If you enjoy this piece, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support more writing like this — and keep an eye out for upcoming announcements from AI Literacy Partners on assessment redesign, AI-based HQIMs, and the next wave of classroom innovation.
Why Perplexity AI Is My Go-To Research Tool as a Higher Education CIO
By Michael Lyons, Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Officer,
MassBay Community College
Over my 33-year career in IT, and nearly 15 years at MassBay Community College, I have seen many technologies that promised to change everything. Most do not. But artificial intelligence is different. To me it is on the same level as the high-speed internet, a change that opened the door to changes in all aspects of our lives. AI and its movement over the last three years is in this 1% space. Among the many tools I have tested, paid for, and adopted, Perplexity AI stands out as one of the most valuable, especially in my role as CIO in higher education.
While I regularly use tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, Microsoft Copilot, and even YouTube Premium (I would cancel Netflix before this), Perplexity has earned a top spot in my toolkit. It blends AI and real-time web search into one seamless, research-driven platform that saves time and improves the quality of information I rely on every day.
As CIO, I often need to quickly evaluate new technologies, respond to cybersecurity incidents, review/create policies, and prepare executive briefings. I do not always have time to dig through countless web pages. I need fast, trustworthy, and transparent answers. That is exactly what Perplexity delivers.
Here are a few more examples of how I have used Perplexity AI in my daily work.
Before a leadership meeting, I used Perplexity to get a quick summary of the latest federal student aid changes, and how schools are addressing the rise in fraud. This allowed me to walk into the meeting better prepared without needing to dig through lengthy reports.
While preparing for an open house event for our Cyber Range, I used voice search to ask about recent cybersecurity threats impacting higher education. The response included sources from EDUCAUSE and other respected outlets, which I later shared with my team.
During a break at CIO Symposium at MIT, I compared two vendor solutions we were evaluating around radio repeaters for our Campus Police. The platform provided technical details, product reviews, and relevant documentation links, all in one place. Before this I knew very little about this topic.
While teaching and in a conversation with my students during break, I was asked about data privacy practices. Using the mobile app, I quickly looked up current standards for opting out of data sharing on major platforms and provided accurate information on the spot.
In an environment where our students have diverse needs and may be more vulnerable to disinformation or rumors, being able to provide timely, reliable, and well-sourced answers is critically important.
Perplexity is not just a tool for administrators. It is incredibly useful for faculty engaged in research and curriculum development. Faculty can streamline literature reviews, verify sources, prepare course materials, and help students understand how to cite properly and use AI responsibly.
Perplexity vs. Other Tools
Here is how Perplexity compares with tools you may already use:
I would be remiss not to recognize my colleague, Tim Rivard, our Director of Learning Services. Tim oversees the library and all of its digital content and has been forward-thinking for years in bringing new online and electronic resources to campus. Tim has always emphasized the importance of strong citation practices, and that is another reason I value Perplexity so much.
As you can see from above, one of my favorite features of Perplexity is the mobile app. Having the ability to access reliable, real-time information directly from my phone has made a noticeable difference in how I manage my day.
The app is fast, intuitive, and thoughtfully designed. It includes several key features:
A curated “News of the Day” section that surfaces trending developments across technology, cybersecurity, education, and policy. It serves as a personalized daily briefing that keeps me informed. All read to me as I drive to work to take advantage of my “dashboard time”.
Voice-enabled search, which is especially helpful when I am driving or multitasking. I can ask a question hands-free and receive a clear, cited answer that I can review or revisit later.
Full account syncing with the desktop version, which means anything I research on my phone is available on my office computer when I return.
A clean, user-friendly interface that makes reading and navigating content on a mobile device not only practical but productive.
I originally heard about Perplexity through Matt Wolfe’s Future Tools and explored it further after watching Jeff Su’s excellent video walkthrough. I paid for it out of pocket and found it to be worth every dollar. Thanks to the AI Literacy Partners initiative, I now have institutional access, and I continue to be a vocal advocate for the tool on our campus.
As we continue exploring AI at MassBay, we are not just adopting technology. We are building digital literacy, supporting academic innovation, and helping our students navigate an increasingly complex world.
Perplexity AI is a cornerstone in that effort. It empowers professionals, supports faculty research, and gives students access to information that is credible and contextual. For anyone in education looking to stay informed and prepared, it is more than just a useful tool. It is a strategic asset.
Thanks again for your loyal support and continued collaboration. If you are interested in bringing workshops and professional development training to your school or institution around AI literacy, check out our website or reach out to me directly. I look forward to building a bigger community of AI practitioners in the education space that builds meaningful use cases into our work both with and without students.
Michael, your post shows exactly why tools like Perplexity belongs at the center of education, not only to save time but to ensure students get a truly content rich curriculum. E.D. Hirsch Jr. said, “A broad, content rich curriculum is what permits reading, writing, and thinking to develop.” Perplexity’s power to deliver cited, evidence based answers supports this mission, equipping both educators and students to build lasting knowledge instead of piecemeal facts.
Your examples of Perplexity’s impact in policy, cybersecurity, and live classroom situations highlight exactly what teachers should provide, not just convenience but a richer base for deep learning and responsible decision making. This is the real promise of AI, building real understanding for every learner.
What stands out most to me, personally, is how PerplexityAI evokes Apple’s early ethos rather than the top down model of IBM. Apple started with a small team in a garage, determined to give students and teachers hands on access to personal computers even as most school leaders, many from the Boomer generation, expressed serious doubts and skepticism about their value. In classrooms across America, some worried computers would merely be used for games like Oregon Trail, typing drills, or simple math flashcards. Others predicted technology would distract from foundational basics or cause equity issues.
Gen X were the first generation of classroom pioneers who saw firsthand what happened when Steve Jobs and Apple insisted on putting technology in kids’ hands, even as many Boomers worried and the experts scoffed. Many schools hesitated, debating whether computers would actually have any classroom use beyond games like Oregon Trail, typing drills, or math flashcards. If Steve Jobs had not pushed those boundaries or dared to “Think Different,” our entire generations might have missed out on early digital literacy, and classrooms could have remained stuck with chalkboards and overhead projectors for another decade or more.
Because Jobs and Apple persisted, schools gradually witnessed computers becoming liberating tools for research, design, and creativity.
Gen X was the first generation to see this transformation happen. We watched as hands on technology entered our own classrooms, shifting what teaching and learning could look like. Now, with Perplexity AI, educators can take the next step to foster digital fluency, critical thinking, and deeper research skills for today's students.
Gen X should remember our role as pioneers, leading the education revolution and refusing to fall into the “doom and gloom” mindset that once and still holds many schools back. Instead of repeating old skepticism, we could and should do for Perplexity's generative AI what Steve Jobs did for Gen X's classroom computing: open learning, inspire curiosity, and make breakthrough tools truly accessible to every student.
-Sorry for the lengthy comment. I truly enjoyed your article -Keri
Love Perplexity Research. I also love it's ability to schedule email digests from Perplexity Research queries.