Good morning, In a few minutes, here's what you'll learn today.
Today we're diving into Perplexity's game-changing Comet browser—a tool that turns any webpage into your personal AI assistant. You’ll also catch up on Deepseek’s big plans for their AI-agent launch, the upcoming OpenAI job market launch, Microsoft's bold move to build its own AI models, and Switzerland's surprising entry into the open-source AI race with national backing.
In Today's Edition
Today’s AI Tool Breakdown: Perplexity Comet
Quick overview
Comet transforms any webpage into a conversation with AI, letting you ask questions about what you're reading without switching tabs or apps. Think of it like having a research assistant built right into your browser.
How to use it
Sign up for free Perplexity Pro through PayPal/Venmo (new promotion gives 12 months free)
Download Comet browser from the Perplexity website after getting waitlist access
Open any webpage and click the sidebar AI assistant
Ask questions about the page content, request summaries, or compare multiple tabs
Use voice commands by saying "Hey Comet" for hands-free operation
Let it automate tasks like clearing spam or booking meetings across different sites
Copy/paste starter script
"Summarize this page in 3 bullet points" or "What are the key takeaways from this article?" works great for any webpage you're viewing.
Real-world use cases
Research papers: Get plain-English explanations of complex studies without leaving the page
Shopping: Compare products across multiple tabs and get buying recommendations
News reading: Quick summaries of long articles plus fact-checking against other sources
Work emails: Draft responses or schedule meetings based on email content
Pro tips
Use cross-tab queries like "compare this product with what I have open in tab 2"
Ask follow-up questions to dig deeper into any topic without starting over
Voice mode works great while multitasking or when your hands are busy
Free vs paid
Free: Basic Perplexity access, limited monthly queries, waitlist for Comet
Paid: $20/month Pro gets priority Comet access, unlimited queries, better AI models (currently free via PayPal promo)
Alternatives
Arc Browser — focuses on tab organization and built-in tools
Chrome with Gemini — Google's AI sidebar but less conversational
Edge Copilot — Microsoft's AI assistant but more basic features
Quick demo video
Perplexity Comet Demo
Today In AI News, The Top 4 Stories (And Why They Matter)
This matters because: China's scrappy AI startup is building software that can complete tasks on your behalf with almost no hand-holding, potentially making AI assistants way more useful than today's chatbots.
Quick summary: The Hangzhou company behind January's viral R1 model is developing an AI agent that learns from past actions and handles multi-step tasks automatically. Founder Liang Wenfeng wants it ready by Q4 2025, marking DeepSeek's biggest swing since shocking the world with $6 million AI that matched ChatGPT's performance. Think of it like upgrading from a voice assistant that just answers questions to one that actually gets stuff done for you.
This matters because: Individuals who prioritize learning AI tools can now have an advantage in acquiring jobs that were previously only given to those who had tech backgrounds.
Quick summary: OpenAI plans to launch the OpenAI Jobs Platform, designed to connect businesses with AI-skilled workers, alongside a new certification program for AI fluency. This platform will basically work as bridge between small businesses and governments looking to hire AI talent, regardless of your degree. Think of it like a dating app for AI enthusiasts job-seekers and AI focused companies.
This matters because: Microsoft is breaking free from its OpenAI partnership by creating its own AI models, potentially reshuffling the entire AI industry landscape.
Quick summary: MAI-1 powers text generation for Copilot while MAI-Voice-1 creates realistic speech in under a second. Both models use far fewer computing resources than competitors by focusing on high-quality training data rather than brute force. It's like Microsoft decided to bake its own bread instead of buying from the bakery next door.
This matters because: A country just released its own open-source AI model with full documentation, showing how nations are building AI independence rather than relying on Big Tech.
Quick summary: Apertus comes in 8B and 70B parameter versions, available through Swisscom and Hugging Face with complete training documentation. It represents Switzerland's push for AI sovereignty while contributing to the global open-source community. Think of it like a country deciding to build its own highway system instead of relying on private toll roads.
Thats All For Today!
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