Perplexity AI's new Comet browser reportedly executed a financial trade on the Indian brokerage platform Zerodha without requiring any user clicks, according to a Reddit user.
The incident, quickly sparked wide interest drawing an immediate reaction from Perplexity Chief Executive Officer, Aravind Srinivas.
The user report detailed how the Comet browser, which leverages advanced AI agents to perform web tasks, successfully navigated the Zerodha interface and placed a live trade.
Reacting to the post, CEO Aravind Srinivas confirmed the significance of the development on X, stating: "Crazy, this is one of the most exciting things about Comet. The world of agents is here!"
Implications for AI Autonomy
The successful execution of a multi-step financial transaction showcases the immense potential of AI agent technology to perform complex, authenticated tasks seamlessly.
Comet is designed to interact with websites by interpreting context rather than relying on rigid programming, making it capable of executing commands like "buy X stock."
However, the event immediately raised significant cybersecurity and financial risk concerns among developers. While the "no clicks needed" feature is a powerful demonstration of efficiency, the possibility of unintended or malicious autonomous transactions on platforms involving real money presents a major challenge for both AI developers and financial technology companies.
The incident highlights the urgent need to balance the utility of AI agents with robust guardrails, especially when interacting with critical financial services like Zerodha.
Zooming out, Artificial intelligence could be the biggest opportunity for Indian IT companies, but it is also the biggest risk, according to Kawaljeet Saluja, Senior Executive Director & Head of Research, Kotak Institutional Equities, who cautioned that the industry is entering a three-year 'AI-led deflationary transition', which may have some impact on growth.
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