As conversations around AI replacing human labour continue, Perplexity’s latest innovation — an AI-powered web browser called Comet — might be taking that possibility one step closer to reality.
According to CEO Aravind Srinivas, Comet can automate and manage tasks to such an extent that companies may not need to hire extra staff. Speaking to CNBC, Srinivas said,
“Instead of hiring one more person on your team, you could just use Comet to supplement all the work that you’re doing.”
The comment comes shortly after Perplexity made Comet available for free download worldwide, following its initial limited release to waitlisted users and Perplexity Max subscribers.
What is Comet?
Launched in July 2025, Comet is a large language model (LLM)-based browser equipped with an integrated AI assistant. It can autonomously browse the internet, conduct research, summarise articles and YouTube videos, describe on-screen images, and even compile AI-generated summaries of all open browser tabs.
Srinivas described Comet as a “true personal assistant,” claiming it could deliver productivity gains worth up to $10,000 per user per year.
“It’s truly about delivering value and enabling you to delegate tasks to it,” he said.
He also noted that since “human digital knowledge work” accounts for roughly $25 trillion of global GDP, a 20% boost in productivity could translate into $5 trillion in economic growth.
These remarks arrive amid growing debate over AI’s impact on employment. Some industry leaders, such as Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, have cautioned that AI could replace half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. Others, including Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, believe AI could usher in an era of “radical abundance,” despite the potential risks.
Meanwhile, voices like Bill Gates and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang take a more balanced view, suggesting that while AI will displace some roles, it will also create new ones — much like previous technological revolutions.
Discussing the direction of AI, Srinivas emphasised that the goal is not to build another flattering chatbot but a truly useful assistant:
“It’s not just about answering questions from a sycophant chatbot that tells you good stuff you want to hear. It’s about delivering value and letting you delegate real tasks.”
Currently, Comet is available for both Windows and Mac, though some features remain exclusive to paying subscribers. For instance, the Email Assistant, which drafts replies in a user’s tone, and the Background Assistant, capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously, are limited to Max users.
Srinivas added that maintaining context accuracy and data security are key challenges for the company.
“Security-wise, we’re very clear that none of the data violates SOC 2 compliance. We’re fully SOC 2 certified to ensure that all user data is securely stored and logged,” he said.
Perplexity isn’t alone in this race. Other tech players are also integrating AI into browsers — The Browser Company recently launched Dia, OpenAI rolled out its web agent Operator, and Google integrated its Gemini chatbot directly into Chrome.
Also Read: OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Pulse: Your AI-Powered Morning Briefing
