Perplexity’s revamped Comet Assistant can now multitask across tabs and handle complex web actions

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas has announced a major overhaul of the company’s Comet Assistant, introducing significant upgrades that allow it to manage complex online workflows, operate across multiple browser tabs, and interact with websites more intelligently. The update, which is now rolling out to all users, is aimed at making Comet more capable of assisting with everyday digital tasks such as job hunting, trip planning, and data management.

One of the most impactful improvements is multi-tab functionality. The new Comet can now gather information from several sites at once and apply it elsewhere without requiring users to switch between tabs. For example, it can automatically populate a spreadsheet with data collected from multiple sources — a task that previously demanded tedious manual navigation.

According to Perplexity’s internal benchmarks, the upgraded version delivers around 23% better performance in longer, multi-step tasks compared to its predecessor. It can now handle workflows like searching LinkedIn for targeted roles, comparing airfare across travel sites, or setting up Google Sheets to track budgets, attendance, or other data sets.

Another key enhancement lies in Comet’s improved web comprehension. It can now interpret complex website structures and perform actions more accurately, making it more adaptable across diverse online environments. This refinement ensures smoother execution when navigating unfamiliar or data-heavy websites.

In addition, the new update introduces clearer permission controls. Before executing any browser-level action — such as clicking a button, filling a form, or entering text — Comet now prompts the user for consent. Users can approve or deny these actions, and the assistant will remember those choices for the duration of the session.

The assistant can now actively perform web-based tasks, reducing manual effort and saving time for users who rely on it for both simple and multi-layered workflows.