In July 2025, AI startup Perplexity launched Comet, a web browser built around an integrated AI assistant. Unlike traditional browsers, Comet lets you ask questions and give commands directly inside the browser. It can summarize articles, compare products across sites, schedule meetings, send emails, and even complete purchases for you – all through a conversational interface instead of clicking through Google search results. The goal is to make browsing more like having a helpful sidekick than juggling dozens of open tabs.
Comet is currently available by invitation to Perplexity’s premium “Max” subscribers ($200/month), with wider access planned soon. Early demos show an AI built from multiple large language models (OpenAI’s GPT, Meta’s Llama and others) under the hood, which powers its ability to pull in and synthesize up-to-date web info. Crucially, Comet is designed for privacy: it stores your data locally on your device and doesn’t train on your personal information, a sharp contrast to Google’s cloud-centric approach. This should appeal to users worried about tech giants harvesting their browsing data.
Key AI-Powered Features of Comet
Comet’s standout features all revolve around its AI assistant. In practice, this means:
- Instant Summaries: Ask Comet to summarize any web page or news article with a single click, getting the gist without clicking multiple links.
- Unified Search and Action: Pose a question or task (like "find me the best price on wireless earbuds, compare top models") and Comet’s AI will gather answers, compare options, and even help you buy in one go.
- Conversational Interface: Instead of typing keywords, you can chat with the browser in natural language. For example, you might say “Schedule a meeting with John tomorrow,” and Comet will navigate your calendar site and set it up.
- Local Data Processing: Your browsing queries and data stay on your device. Comet doesn’t send your personal info to train its AI models, which is designed to keep things private.
Comet vs. Chrome: What’s Different?
Google Chrome still dominates the web (about 68% market share globally). In Chrome, you search, click, read, and repeat. In Comet, you ask the assistant, and it handles multiple steps. For users, that could mean faster answers and fewer open tabs to manage.
| Browser | Market Share | AI Capabilities | Access / Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | ~68% (mid-2025 StatCounter) | Includes AI features (e.g. search summaries, Overviews), but core navigation is still manual | Free, pre-installed on many devices |
| Comet (Perplexity AI) | N/A (just launched) | Built-in AI assistant for Q&A, summarization, product comparison, scheduling, etc. | Invite-only early access / $200 per month (Perplexity Max subscription) |
In practical terms, Chrome users will notice Comet’s interface places a chat window or sidebar front-and-center. Any time you land on a site, you can prompt Comet’s assistant with tasks. By comparison, Chrome’s AI features (like Google’s AI Overviews) still push you towards search and links. Comet aims to skip that and let the AI do the heavy lifting. It also experiments with new ways to integrate shopping and productivity into the browser, since Perplexity sees Comet as a platform for future advertising and e-commerce revenue.
Heavy Hitters Behind Perplexity
Perplexity AI has attracted blue-chip investors, signaling big ambitions. Its backers include Nvidia (for its AI chips), SoftBank’s Vision Fund, and the Bezos family (investing through Jeff Bezos’ family office). These figures show the company growing quickly and preparing to compete in search and browsers.
With this backing, Perplexity isn’t just building a free tool. The plan appears to be long-term: Comet may eventually support advertising links or shop integrations, and the team has already mentioned pursuing ad and e-commerce revenue streams. For average users, more competition means Google won’t have a monopoly on the browsing experience or digital ads. It also means we’ll see more innovation (and more data collection strategies) as rivals duke it out.
Content Controversy: Publisher Backlash
Comet’s launch has also stirred concerns among news publishers. Major media companies (including News Corp outlets, Forbes, and Wired) have accused Perplexity of reusing news content without permission. In practice, this means Comet can give you a summary of a news story or answer a question by scraping the full text of an article — sometimes even when publishers tried to block bots. Wired’s investigation found evidence that Perplexity’s crawlers ignored “no-scrape” directives on publisher sites and offered answers that closely paraphrased original reporting.
Critics call this plagiarism. Forbes noted that Comet (and Perplexity’s chatbot) was serving up answers nearly identical to Forbes stories, without citing the source prominently.
For everyday users, this controversy highlights a bigger issue: when AI grabs content for you, the lines of copyright get blurry. It’s a reminder to be skeptical, especially if Comet’s answer sounds too good to be true. On the other hand, it pressures Comet to improve accuracy and attribution. We’ll likely see more content deals or legal rulings in the months ahead, which could shape how AI browsers function.
What the AI Browser War Means for You
Comet’s arrival kicks off a browser battle. Almost immediately, Reuters reported OpenAI is preparing its own AI-powered browser to compete with Chrome. Others have launched browsers or plugins (Brave, The Browser Company, and even Google itself with AI Overviews). For regular internet users, the upsides could be real: imagine not having to juggle search results and forums to solve a problem. Instead, you ask once and get a concise answer or solution.
But there are trade-offs. As AI assistants become browsers, we’ll need to watch privacy and reliability closely. Perplexity’s emphasis on local data is one response — others may follow suit, offering privacy-focused browsing. On the flip side, more AI control means giving up some transparency. For example, if Comet books your flights, you’ll need to trust its choices and security. Plus, the competition will likely accelerate: Google and Microsoft will surely beef up Chrome and Edge, and OpenAI’s upcoming browser (if launched) will push all players to improve.
Ultimately, this is good news for users: choice and innovation. If you try Comet and don’t like it, you still have Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. But if you love AI help, you have new options. Keep an eye out for major announcements later this year. For example, OpenAI’s rumored browser may bring ChatGPT-like agents into your everyday browsing (see our OpenAI browser blog for details).