Perplexity Launches Comet Browser, Targeting Google Chrome's 68% Market Share with AI-Powered Features

Perplexity, the NVIDIA-backed artificial intelligence startup, has officially launched Comet, its new web browser designed to integrate advanced AI capabilities directly into the browsing experience. Announced on social media, Perplexity stated, > "Comet is here. A web browser built for today’s internet." The move signifies a direct challenge to established browsers like Google Chrome, which currently commands approximately 68% of the global browser market.

Comet aims to transform traditional web navigation by offering an "agentic AI" that can think, act, and decide on behalf of users. The browser features a built-in AI assistant capable of summarizing content, comparing products, booking meetings, and automating complex workflows into conversational interactions. Perplexity emphasizes that Comet stores data locally and avoids model training on personal information, a feature likely to appeal to privacy-conscious users.

Built on Chromium, the same open-source project powering Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, Comet ensures compatibility with existing Chrome extensions and allows for seamless import of user settings and bookmarks. This foundation provides broad website compatibility while integrating Perplexity's AI-powered search engine as the default. The company's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has previously indicated that the browser is designed to amplify user intelligence and streamline digital tasks.

Currently, Comet is available exclusively to subscribers of Perplexity Max, the company's premium tier priced at $200 per month. Broader access will roll out gradually via an invite-only waitlist throughout the summer. This tiered release strategy allows Perplexity to refine the product based on early adopter feedback before wider availability.

The launch of Comet intensifies competition in the browser market, particularly against Google. Perplexity, valued at an estimated $14 billion in recent funding talks, is also navigating ongoing discussions with media organizations regarding content usage, having launched a publisher partnership program to address concerns. The company's strategic entry into the browser space follows reports of other AI players, including OpenAI, also developing their own AI-powered browsers, signaling a new era for internet interaction.