Perplexity has entered the competitive AI browser arena with the launch of Comet, its new AI-powered web browser designed to streamline how users search and interact online. Announced today, Comet is built on Chromium – the same open-source foundation as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge – but swaps the traditional browsing experience for a conversational, agent-based interface.
According to Perplexity, Comet reduces the clutter of multiple tabs and links, offering AI-generated responses and workflow execution within a single interface. Users can ask questions or issue commands naturally, with Comet handling tasks and research processes while maintaining contextual awareness throughout. The company describes this approach as shifting “from browsing to thinking,” positioning Comet as an assistant that extends cognitive processes rather than simply delivering search results.
The browser integrates Perplexity’s existing chatbot search engine with models from both OpenAI and Anthropic, enabling it to process and generate answers across a wide range of queries. While it prioritises AI interactions, Comet retains compatibility with users’ existing browser extensions, bookmarks, and settings, aiming to ease adoption without requiring significant changes in user habits.
This move reflects a broader trend in the industry as major AI firms seek to reframe search experiences around agentic workflows. OpenAI is reportedly preparing to launch its own browser in the coming weeks, while Perplexity’s development of Comet signals its ambition to compete directly with established search giants like Google by offering deeper integration between browsing and AI capabilities.
Perplexity has previously expanded its offerings to include shopping and voice chat features within its search platform, and its technology has reportedly attracted Apple’s interest for potential integration into native services such as Spotlight. Samsung, too, is said to be planning to pre-install Perplexity on its upcoming Galaxy S26 series devices, reflecting growing OEM confidence in AI-first browsing tools.
For now, access to Comet is limited. Perplexity Max subscribers – a premium tier priced at $200 per month – will be the first to try the Mac and Windows-based versions, with a broader rollout planned on an invite-only basis. The company says a free version is expected in the future, although no specific timeline has been shared. Interested users can join the waitlist starting today.
Whether Comet will fundamentally change how users interact with the web remains to be seen, but Perplexity’s strategy highlights the industry-wide push to merge search, productivity, and AI agents into single, cohesive experiences that go beyond traditional browser functions.
