A recent tweet on X has ignited a conversation about the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in online education. The tweet featured a user demonstrating how Perplexity AI’s Comet browser was used to successfully complete a Coursera course. Ironically, the course focused on “AI Ethics, Responsibility and Creativity.” The user, identifying as a web developer, shared the video and thanked Srinivas, Perplexity, and Comet AI for their assistance in finishing the course.
Responding to the viral tweet, which garnered over 300,000 views, Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, firmly advised against such practices, stating, “Absolutely don’t do this.”
The social media reaction was swift and varied. One user humorously commented, “Thanks for creating Frankenstein’s monster. I want it on my Linux laptop. When can I get it?” Another expressed a common concern about the impact on hiring, suggesting, “Companies are more likely to get candidates who use tools like this to juice their resume than actual talent with integrity. It’s a good problem, though. It should induce a greater awareness of meritocratic evaluation methodologies.” A third user voiced apprehension about company policy, remarking, “If my company knew about this, they’d never allow Comet.” The sentiment was echoed by a fourth user who stated, “The very purpose of education is lost here. Please give the certificate to Comet.”
Aravind Srinivas, a 31-year-old entrepreneur from Chennai, recently achieved billionaire status, becoming India’s youngest Indian billionaire according to the Hurun India Rich List 2025. His wealth, estimated at ₹21,190 crore, is attributed to building Perplexity AI, an AI model that competes globally. An alumnus of IIT Madras, Srinivas holds dual degrees in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Computer Science. Prior to founding Perplexity AI in 2022 with co-founders Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, he gained experience working at prominent tech companies like OpenAI, Google, and DeepMind.