Perplexity Unveils Comet: An AI Browser to Challenge Google’s Search Dominance

Perplexity, the startup best known for its AI “answer” engine, has taken its ambitions a step further with the launch of Comet, its AI-powered web browser. Designed to make searching and browsing more seamless, Comet blends Perplexity’s AI search tools with a built-in assistant that CEO Aravind Srinivas claims will “transform entire browsing sessions into single, seamless interactions.”

At launch, Comet will be exclusive to users subscribed to the Perplexity Max plan, which costs $200 per month, before becoming more widely available through an invite-only rollout. The browser sets Perplexity as the default search engine, delivering AI-generated answers sourced from around the web. Beyond just search, Comet is designed to handle tasks for users, such as buying products online or booking hotel stays.

This move comes as Perplexity positions itself as a growing rival to Google’s search empire. The company recently partnered with Motorola to pre-install its AI assistant on new Razr smartphones, a deal Srinivas said wouldn’t have happened if Google hadn’t faced antitrust scrutiny. “They would have bullied a lot of the OEMs,” Srinivas told a famous publication earlier this year.

Comet is built on Chromium, the open-source framework that also powers Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Interestingly, Srinivas has hinted that Perplexity would consider acquiring Chrome if Google were ever forced to sell it.

In addition to Perplexity’s AI search integration, Comet’s sidebar hosts an AI assistant that can do more than just answer questions. Users can ask it to summarise web content, book meetings, send emails, or even make purchases—features similar to those offered by Google through Gemini in Chrome.

For now, Comet is only available on Windows and Mac, but users can easily import existing extensions, bookmarks, and settings with just “one click.” Srinivas says the team plans to keep expanding Comet’s capabilities, signalling that the browser could play a big role in shaping how AI integrates with everyday internet use.