• Source:JND
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Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas has issued a stern warning after a web developer used the company’s AI assistant, Comet, to complete an online course. The saga began when Amrit Nigam, a web developer, posted a 16-second video on X showing Comet breezing through a Coursera course titled “AI Ethics, Responsibility and Creativity.” In the clip, Comet responds to 12 questions and finishes a 45-minute assignment within seconds, all triggered by the simple command: “Complete the assignment.” Nigam captioned the video, thanking Srinivas, Perplexity, and Comet AI for the seamless completion.

Viral Video Sparks Debate

The clip quickly went viral, garnering over three lakh views. Srinivas responded in the thread with a blunt warning: “Absolutely don’t do this.” His three-word reprimand became an internet sensation, amassing thousands of likes and retweets. Some users joked about “Frankenstein’s monster,” while others raised concerns that companies might favour candidates who rely on AI shortcuts over those with genuine skills. “It should induce a greater awareness of meritocratic evaluation methodologies,” one user commented, highlighting broader implications for hiring and professional ethics.

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AI Assistance Or Shortcut?

Comet AI, recently introduced by Perplexity, is a web browser of the future that integrates search, automation, and content generation within a single interface. It is intended to enable users to research, summarise, and carry out web-based tasks using natural language prompts. The incident, however, highlights how easily AI support slips into completing the task altogether for the user, generating questions over the ethics of AI in learning.

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Coursera, where the course is hosted, was established to democratise education. The viral video challenges this by pointing out how automation could render the value of online courses and certificates worthless. If students are able to use AI to do assignments without actually having to study the content, it challenges the validity of online education and the authenticity of the obtained certificates.