Aravind Srinivas, CEO of AI search startup Perplexity, has touted the company's new Comet browser as a game-changer that could drastically reduce the need for human hires, allowing companies to slash their wage bills amid rising AI adoption.
Speaking on CNBC's Squawk Box, Srinivas emphasised Comet's role as a "true personal assistant" that operates autonomously, handling tasks without human oversight. "Instead of hiring one more person on your team, you could just use Comet to supplement all the work that you’re doing," he said, underscoring how the browser's AI capabilities could boost productivity and eliminate the demand for additional staff.
Srinivas painted an even more transformative picture of AI's evolution, describing a world where tools like Comet work tirelessly—even while users sleep. "The future is AIs that are just doing work for you, even as you sleep, without you even asking for it," he explained. This includes auto-drafting email responses, scheduling meetings, and reorganising tasks proactively, all of which could automate routine jobs traditionally filled by entry-level or administrative roles.
The comments come as Perplexity rolls out Comet to all users worldwide, removing the invite-only model that it was adopting for months since it was first announced. Srinivas positions it as a seamless integration of AI into everyday browsing to enhance efficiency. While proponents hail such innovations for driving economic growth through productivity gains, critics warn of widespread job displacement in sectors reliant on repetitive tasks. Srinivas's remarks highlight the growing tension between AI's promise of cost savings and its potential to reshape labor markets.
Watch a snippet of his interview in the embedded video below:
