Perplexity launches AI-based web browser Comet

AI search startup Perplexity has rolled out Comet, its AI-powered web browser, making a big move to compete against Google’s longstanding dominance in the web browser space. 

Initially, Comet will be available exclusively to subscribers of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan and to a select cohort of early invitees who joined the company’s waitlist. The company added that wider access to users will follow in the coming months. 

“Comet is a web browser built for today’s internet. In the last 30 years, the internet has evolved from something we simply 'browse' or 'search'. The internet is where we live, work, and connect. It’s also where we ask questions,” read the company’s blog post. 

“Curious minds have questions everywhere, and they find answers on every page, in every idea, through every task. Yet we've been trapped in long lines of tabs and hyperlinks, disjointed experiences that interrupt our natural flow of thought. In other words, the internet has become humanity's extended mind while our tools for using it remain primitive. Our interface for the web should be as fluid and responsive as human thought itself,” it added. 

The blog further stated that the browser replaces traditional tab-and-link browsing with a single conversational interface that maintains context across pages and browsing sessions. 

Rather than juggling dozens of open tabs, users will be able to ask queries “out loud” through the Comet assistant, which is capable of navigating sites, comparing information, and executing tasks on their behalf.

“We're excited to finally release our next big product after launching Perplexity in 2022: Comet. Comet is a browser that's designed to be a thought partner and assistant for every aspect of your digital life: work and personal,” said Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity. 

Speaking at Bloomberg’s Technology Summit, the CEO recently disclosed that the platform handled 780 million queries in May and that its search products are posting over 20% month-over-month growth.

The AI firm's launch of Comet comes as competition in AI-based search and browsing heats up. Google recently rolled out its own AI features within Chrome and Search, while Microsoft had integrated Copilot into Edge three years ago.

Meanwhile, OpenAI in January launched Operator, an AI agent that's capable of independently performing tasks on the web. Using its built-in browser, Operator can navigate websites, interact with content by typing, clicking, and scrolling, and execute tasks based on user instructions.