A research on perplexity reveals how people use AI agents

By EngineAI Team | Published on December 17, 2025
A research on perplexity reveals how people use AI agents
According to a recent study by Perplexity and Harvard that examined how users of the company's Comet browser are using AI agents, usage is mostly focused on cognitive work and research rather than automating routine tasks.

The specifics:

Hundreds of millions of anonymous inquiries from Perplexity's Comet browser, which debuted in July, were examined by researchers.

Research and workflow management accounted for more than half of the inquiries; typical tasks included coursework assistance, document editing, and summarizing.

The majority of activity was produced by tech workers, academics, marketers, and finance professionals; adoption was correlated with GDP and educational attainment.

Over time, users' behavior changed; those who began with informal inquiries like making travel plans frequently moved toward more complex knowledge-intensive tasks.

We've seen a lot of use cases during the growth of AI agents, such as ordering groceries, booking flights and tickets, and performing routine activities. However, Perplexity's study indicates that consumers are drawn to deeper work uses rather than personal life conveniences, which may differ from ChatGPT or other assistants.

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