Perplexity on Wednesday launched its first AI-powered web browser, called Comet, marking the startup’s autos effort to problem Google Search as the first avenue folks use to seek out info on-line.
At launch, Comet shall be obtainable first to subscribers of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan, in addition to a small group of invitees that signed as much as a waitlist.
Comet’s headline function is Perplexity’s AI search engine, which is pre-installed and set because the default, placing the corporate’s core product — AI generated summaries of search outcomes — entrance and middle.
Customers also can entry Comet Assistant, a brand new AI agent from Perplexity that lives within the net browser and goals to automate routine duties. Perplexity says the assistant can summarize emails and calendar occasions, handle tabs, and navigate net pages on behalf of customers. Customers can entry Comet Assistant by opening a sidecar on any net web page, which lets the AI agent see what’s on the internet web page and reply questions on it.
Perplexity has launched a number of merchandise and initiatives in latest months, however none really feel fairly as consequential as Comet. The corporate’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has considerably hyped Comet’s launch particularly, maybe as a result of he sees it as very important in Perplexity’s battle towards Google.
With Comet, Perplexity is aiming to achieve customers straight with out having to undergo Google Chrome, the most well-liked browser at present. Whereas AI-powered browsers current uncharted territory for a lot of customers, Google itself appears satisfied that is the route browsers are headed: The Search giant has deployed several AI integrations into Chrome in latest months, to not point out AI mode, an AI search product with a hanging resemblance to Perplexity.
Srinivas said in March that his aim with Comet was to “develop an working system with which you are able to do virtually all the pieces,” enabling Perplexity’s AI to assist customers throughout apps and web sites. Changing into the default browser for customers can translate to “infinite retention,” Srinivas said in June, which might ostensibly result in extra requests on Perplexity.
That stated, Comet is coming into a crowded enviornment. Whereas Google Chrome and Apple’s Safari maintain many of the market, The Browser Firm launched an AI-powered browser, Dia, in June that appears to supply lots of the similar options as Comet. OpenAI has additionally reportedly considered launching its own browser to compete with Google, and has even employed some key members from the unique Google Chrome crew within the final 12 months.
Comet may get an preliminary leg up within the browser wars if a significant chunk of Perplexity customers join the product. Srinivas not too long ago stated that Perplexity noticed 780 million queries in Could 2025, and that the corporate’s search merchandise are seeing greater than 20% progress month-over-month.
Taking over Google Search isn’t any small process, however Perplexity appears to have the suitable thought by launching a browser of its personal. However the startup’s crew could discover it even more durable to persuade customers to modify browsers than weaning them off Google Search.
Fingers on with Comet
Essentially the most distinctive side of this browser appears to be Comet Assistant. Throughout our testing, we discovered Comet’s AI agent to be surprisingly useful for easy duties, however it rapidly falls aside when given extra complicated requests. Utilizing Comet Assistant to its fullest potential additionally requires you handy over an uncomfortable stage of entry to Perplexity.
My favourite means to make use of Comet Assistant, to this point, is loading it within the sidecar whereas I’m searching the net. Perplexity’s on-browser AI agent can mechanically see what I’m taking a look at, so I can merely ask it questions with no need to open a brand new window or copy and paste textual content or hyperlinks. It’s proper there, and it at all times has the context for what I’m taking a look at.
Comet Assistant was capable of reply questions on posts on social media, YouTube movies, and even sentences I simply wrote in a Google Doc. I think about it will streamline workflows for tens of millions of individuals which might be sending screenshots, information, and hyperlinks to ChatGPT all day.
Subsequent, I attempted getting Comet Assistant to look by way of my Google Calendar. However earlier than I may accomplish that, I needed to give Perplexity vital entry to my Google Account — a number of entry. Simply have a look at how lengthy this record is.
I’ve to say, giving Perplexity permission to view my display, ship emails, have a look at my contacts, and add occasions to my Calendar made me somewhat uneasy. Nevertheless it appears AI brokers want this sort of entry to be helpful.
Nonetheless, Comet Assistant did a fairly good job trying by way of my Calendar. It notified me about some upcoming occasions, and provided me some recommendation on when to depart my residence, and the way to navigate public transit, to get to these occasions.
The assistant was additionally capable of summarize emails I acquired that morning from noteworthy senders — in my case, vital startups and tech corporations with upcoming information. I’ve discovered that AI brokers have a really troublesome time parsing by way of what’s vital in an e mail inbox, however Comet Assistant fared fairly properly.
However Comet Assistant fails at extra difficult duties. For instance, I attempted asking it to assist me discover a long-term parking spot at San Francisco’s airport for an upcoming journey, particularly locations with good opinions that price lower than $15 a day.
The assistant provided up a number of choices that appeared to suit the factors, so I requested it to e book me a spot at one of many places for the dates I’d be away. The agent navigated the parking zone’s web site for me, entered in dates, and even a few of my info, then requested me to evaluation what it did and take a look at.
Seems, Comet Assistant hallucinated and entered utterly unsuitable dates, later telling me that the dates I needed had been booked, however nonetheless needed to have me full the check-out anyhow. I needed to inform the AI agent that the dates had been non-negotiable, and requested it to seek out one other location. It bumped into the identical downside once more.
AI brokers that mess up key particulars like this usually are not new. My expertise with OpenAI’s agent, Operator, and Perplexity’s previous shopping agent yielded related outcomes. Clearly, hallucinations stand in the way in which of those merchandise changing into actual instruments. Till AI corporations can resolve them, AI brokers will nonetheless be a novelty for complicated duties.
Nonetheless, Comet does appear to supply some new capabilities which will simply give Perplexity a leg up over the competitors within the fashionable browser wars.