Perplexity chief says Comet can cut hiring needs

According to Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas, Comet has the potential to streamline workflows to the point where firms can avoid hiring additional employees.

He remarked, “Instead of hiring one more person on your team, you could just use Comet to supplement all the work that you’re doing,” noting that the AI browser lets people handle more tasks faster, the time saved could translate into $10,000 in value per year per individual.

He added that human digital knowledge work represents about $25 trillion of GDP, so raising efficiency by 20% could inject about $5 trillion. Austan Goolsbee, President of the Chicago Fed, also noted that AI has the potential to drive GDP growth by increasing productivity and enhancing service quality. However, he stressed the significant costs associated with AI infrastructure.

Goolsbee cautioned that AI growth could fall short

According to Jan Hatzius of Goldman Sachs, businesses are increasingly using AI to reduce hiring and streamline operations, but the overall labour impact remains small for now. 

Goolsbee, however, cautioned that firms should also consider the chance that AI may not scale as much as expected. He stated, “Might we get over our skis a bit with over-investment and have to clean up if there were a bubble? I think we do want to think about that topic.”

Barbara Corcoran, a longtime investor, also said in an interview with CNBC Make It that AI isn’t an “act now or lose out” opportunity. She noted that many entrepreneurs are diving in without a clear sense of its benefits. She also warned that when business owners lack a clear strategy for utilizing AI, they risk wasting both time and money.

Nonetheless, corporations like Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet are planning to pour up to $320 billion into AI and data centers in 2025.

Perplexity’s Comet browser is now available free globally

Perplexity made its Comet browser available to users globally at no charge on Thursday. The startup has also introduced a new “background assistant” in Comet, available to select paying subscribers, to manage multiple tasks.

Comet debuted three months ago for Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan members, sparking millions to join its waitlist. The browser centers around a sidecar assistant that helps answer questions, summarize information, manage content, and guide your browsing.

The decision to offer Comet at no cost comes as Perplexity takes on big names like Chrome and fresh entrants like Dia. For instance, OpenAI rolled out its web agent, Operator, in January, while Google added Gemini AI to Chrome in September. Anthropic also announced a browser-based AI agent in August.

At its core, Perplexity is recognized for its AI search engine that delivers clear responses and directs users to original sources. Last year, after plagiarism claims, the startup established a revenue-sharing program with media outlets. In August, the company launched Comet Plus, a paid subscription offering content from “trusted publishers and journalists.” Perplexity recently announced its first partners: CNN, Condé Nast, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Le Monde, and Le Figaro.

Perplexity also teased upcoming additions, like a mobile version of Comet and a Background Assistant designed to work on multiple tasks asynchronously.

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