We're Back, and I'm Perplexed!

Dustin Rimmey
2 days ago
4 min read

It has been a rough and wild two weeks, which pulled me away from blogging, social media, and anything that wasn't physically in front of me! First, for the last two weeks, I've had some sort of bronchitis-adjacent sinus crud that has physically slowed me down! Second, I had two time-consuming presentations to prepare for/deliver while also being sick as a dog.

Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be selected to run a district-wide PD group, where we are focusing on AI usage and implementation in the classroom. What makes the group fun is that it is a K-12 group, so the ideas and use case discussions were pretty cool to hear! I'm working on paring down those resources, and I'll share them on the website! As a group, we meet two more times, in January and April. Last week, I presented at the Wakelet app-smash festival, showcasing my love of both Edpuzzle and Wakelet (and had a super-sexy gravel-y voice). We also had conferences, and now, we are back to normal!

Comet

I've used Perplexity off and on as an AI tool, after the NSDA partnered with them, and new users received two months of premium access. I became intrigued by their browser Comet, because it seemed super powerful, but it was way out of my price range (part of the $200 monthly Perplexity Max plan). However, on October 1, it was announced that Perplexity would now offer its AI-enabled browser for FREE!

Use this super cool link to get a free month of Pro! https://pplx.ai/dustinrimm28066

So, before I offer my thoughts, I decided to ask the browser-embedded assistant to pitch itself for the blog post!

What I like, is that it drops in citatios below the question before it synthesizes its answer!

Here is the answer offered by the AI model:

For educators interested in Comet and its underlying AI model, here’s what to highlight for your blog post: Comet transforms browsing into an interactive, intelligent experience—ideal for learning and teaching—by acting as both a browser and an advanced, trustworthy AI assistant.perplexity+1

What Is Comet?

Comet is a next-generation web browser designed to shift the internet experience from passive browsing to active thinking. Unlike traditional browsers, Comet enables users to ask questions, explore concepts, and solve problems seamlessly as they work online. This is done through a unified interface powered by sophisticated AI, which understands context and helps educators and learners navigate information more intuitively.perplexity

Key Features for Educators

Comet combines browsing and AI conversation: It allows educators and students to pose questions on-the-fly, compare different resources, and receive in-depth explanations directly within any web page, making research and lesson planning more efficient.perplexity
Study Mode: Interactive learning is central to Comet. Its Study Mode helps students (and teachers) generate flashcards, quizzes, and breakdowns of complex topics—supporting mastery rather than rote answers.perplexity
Shortcuts: Educators can set up shortcuts for repetitive classroom or research tasks, saving time on common searches or teaching prompts.perplexity
Task Automation: Comet can book meetings, send emails, summarize daily tasks, or compare sources, making it a valuable productivity tool for teachers managing multiple responsibilities.perplexity
Citations and Reliability: The AI is purpose-built for trustworthy, accurate answers with clear citations, supporting evidence-based learning and academic rigor.perplexity+1

Educational Benefits

Personalized Learning: Comet empowers students to ask questions independently, receive detailed explanations, and access study aids tailored to their learning level.perplexity
Accessible for All: Verified students and faculty members benefit from Education Pro features like advanced citation counts, unlimited image uploads, and access to extended research tools, all at a discounted rate.perplexity+1
Classroom Integration: Comet can be used in group research, flipped classroom activities, formative assessments, and more. It supports campus outreach via programs like the Campus Partner Program, helping bring innovative tools into educational settings.perplexity

Getting Started

Educators can create a free Perplexity account to access Comet. Verified educators receive additional perks by signing up for the education plan with institutional credentials. Comet’s browser and educational features are available to all users, with certain perks for those on Education Pro plans.perplexity+1

Comet’s AI model and browser aim to make the internet a more natural extension of the classroom—amplifying curiosity, promoting accurate research, and supporting interactive, modern learning for educators and students alike.perplexity+2

Add to follow-up

Check sources

Back to your regularly-scheduled human content

Quick take-aways:

I like that it cites sources whenever I ask questions.
I like that I can integrate it into my email or other services to use the assistant to help automate tasks (like other AI-supported browsers).
I'm very intrigued by their revenue-sharing model with publishers. I'm intrigued to see if this becomes a successful model adopted by others.
I love that there's an educator and student access to pro, even though my school is not eligible yet.
I'm seeking out more folks who have used it or know students who have used it to see what roadblocks the AI integration may create, so I can start thinking forward about creating tasks where the students can use the AI as a guide, but not a task completer.
I'll probably follow-up again on Friday (with another new music review) with my thoughts after fully immersing myself in just Comet for the week, and not Chrome (unless there's something I have to do for school).

Have a great week!

Use my link for a free month of pro! https://pplx.ai/dustinrimm28066