Perplexity on Wednesday launched its first AI-powered internet browser, referred to as Comet, marking the startup’s newest effort to problem Google Search as the first avenue individuals use to search out info on-line.
At launch, Comet shall be out there 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 internet browser and goals to automate routine duties. Perplexity says the assistant can summarize emails and calendar occasions, handle tabs, and navigate webpages on behalf of customers. Customers can entry Comet Assistant by opening a sidecar on any webpage, which lets the AI agent see what’s on the webpage and reply questions on it.
Perplexity has launched a number of merchandise and initiatives in current months, however none really feel fairly as consequential as Comet. The corporate’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has considerably overvalued Comet’s launch specifically, maybe as a result of he sees it as very important in Perplexity’s battle towards Google.
With Comet, Perplexity is aiming to succeed in customers instantly with out having to undergo Google Chrome, the most well-liked browser at the moment. 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 big has deployed a number of AI integrations into Chrome in current 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 nearly 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 mentioned in June, which might ostensibly result in extra requests on Perplexity.
That mentioned, Comet is coming into a crowded area. 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 most of the identical 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 staff within the final 12 months.
Comet might get an preliminary leg up within the browser wars if a significant chunk of Perplexity customers join the product. Srinivas not too long ago mentioned 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 up Google Search is not any small job, however Perplexity appears to have the precise thought by launching a browser of its personal. However the startup’s staff could discover it even more durable to persuade customers to change browsers than weaning them off Google Search.
Palms on with Comet
Probably the most distinctive facet of this browser appears to be Comet Assistant. Throughout our testing, we discovered Comet’s AI agent to be surprisingly useful for easy duties, nevertheless it rapidly falls aside when given extra complicated requests. Utilizing Comet Assistant to its fullest potential additionally requires you at hand over an uncomfortable stage of entry to Perplexity.
My favourite method to make use of Comet Assistant, thus far, is loading it within the sidecar whereas I’m searching the online. Perplexity’s on-browser AI agent can robotically see what I’m taking a look at, so I can merely ask it questions while not having to open a brand new window or copy and paste textual content or hyperlinks. It’s proper there, and it all the time has the context for what I’m taking a look at.
Comet Assistant was in a position to reply questions on posts on social media, YouTube movies, and even sentences I simply wrote in a Google Doc. I think about this may streamline workflows for hundreds of thousands of individuals which are sending screenshots, information, and hyperlinks to ChatGPT all day.
Subsequent, I attempted getting Comet Assistant to look by my Google Calendar. However earlier than I might accomplish that, I needed to give Perplexity vital entry to my Google Account — a whole lot of entry. Simply take a look at how lengthy this record is.
I’ve to say, giving Perplexity permission to view my display screen, ship emails, take a look at my contacts, and add occasions to my Calendar made me somewhat uneasy. But it surely appears AI brokers want this type of entry to be helpful.
Nonetheless, Comet Assistant did a fairly good job trying by my Calendar. It notified me about some upcoming occasions, and provided me some recommendation on when to go away my residence, and tips on how to navigate public transit, to get to these occasions.
The assistant was additionally in a position to summarize emails I acquired that morning from noteworthy senders — in my case, necessary startups and tech firms with upcoming information. I’ve discovered that AI brokers have a really troublesome time parsing by what’s necessary in an e mail inbox, however Comet Assistant fared fairly effectively.
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 critiques 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 areas 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 overview what it did and check-out.
Seems, Comet Assistant hallucinated and entered utterly flawed dates, later telling me that the dates I wished have been booked, however nonetheless wished to have me full the check-out anyhow. I needed to inform the AI agent that the dates have been non-negotiable, and requested it to search out one other location. It bumped into the identical downside once more.
AI brokers that mess up key particulars like this aren’t new. My expertise with OpenAI’s agent, Operator, and Perplexity’s earlier procuring agent yielded related outcomes. Clearly, hallucinations stand in the way in which of those merchandise changing into actual instruments. Till AI firms can clear up them, AI brokers will nonetheless be a novelty for complicated duties.
Nonetheless, Comet does appear to supply some new capabilities that will simply give Perplexity a leg up over the competitors within the fashionable browser wars.