Aravind Srinivas reveals what’s new in Perplexity’s revamped Comet Assistant: All you need to know

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas on Thursday announced a major update to the company’s Comet Assistant, saying it can now handle complex online tasks, work across multiple browser tabs, and interact with websites more effectively. The update is now rolling out to all users, and it aims to make the AI assistant better at managing everyday web activities like job searches, travel planning, and data entry.

Comet can now work with multiple tabs

A blog post revealed that the most noticeable upgrade is Comet’s ability to function across multiple tabs simultaneously. This means it can pull data from one website and use it on another without the user needing to switch between pages. For instance, Comet can now fill a spreadsheet with information gathered from different sites, a task that previously required constant manual switching.

Perplexity says the new Comet can take on longer, multi-step jobs without giving up midway. In internal testing, it performed about 23% better than the earlier version. The assistant can now manage tasks like searching LinkedIn for specific job roles, comparing flight prices across several travel sites, or building a Google Sheet to track attendance or expenses.

Improved understanding of websites

The assistant has also been upgraded to better interpret and navigate complex websites. This allows it to understand more types of pages and complete web-based actions more accurately, helping it function smoothly across varied online environments.

Clearer permission controls

The update gives users more control over what Comet can access. Before taking any browser action, such as clicking a button or entering data. Comet now asks for permission. Users can choose whether to allow or deny the request, and the assistant will remember that preference during the task.

Why it matters

With these updates, Perplexity is positioning Comet as a tool that does more than just answer questions. It can now take action on the web. The new version is designed to help users finish online tasks faster and with less manual effort, from everyday chores to more detailed research work.