Perplexity AI, whose backers include Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN founder Jeff Bezos and chipmaker Nvidia Corporation NVDA, has found itself in a bit of a pickle after a user said that its tool, Comet, aced a 100-question certification exam for them in just 13 minutes.
Perplexity AI’s Comet Completes Exam In Minutes
On Wednesday, a user on X, formerly Twitter, tagged Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas and said, “I had to take a 100-question certification test today that was a 2-hour window to get it done. I have @PerplexityComet. It did it for me in 13 minutes. I got a 96%. Thanks, @AravSrinivas.”
Srinivas responded cautiously, saying, “Don’t do this though,” highlighting concerns about academic misuse.
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Schools Grapple With AI In Classrooms
The incident comes amid ongoing debates over AI-assisted cheating. Months after OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched in November 2022, the New York City Department of Education blocked its use on school networks.
Across the Bay Area, universities such as Berkeley, Stanford and San Jose State reconsidered teaching methods to address AI-related challenges.
Linguist Noam Chomsky also criticized AI as a “high-tech plagiarism” risk, but tech analyst Gene Munster encouraged adaptation, saying, “You have to embrace these tools to have a seat in the job market down the road,” noting even skilled labor will need AI fluency.
However, earlier this year, in July, Instructure Holdings Inc., maker of the Canvas learning platform, announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate generative AI into classroom instruction, signaling a shift from prohibiting AI in schools to actively using it.
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Perplexity Eyes Google Chrome Acquisition
Perplexity has also been making headlines this week with a bold $34.5 billion bid to acquire Alphabet Inc.’s GOOG GOOGL subsidiary Google’s Chrome browser.
Meanwhile, Perplexity’s Comet browser is part of a broader strategy to gain market share by negotiating pre-installation on smartphones, aiming to compete with Chrome’s 70% mobile share.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.