Perplexity on Wednesday unveiled Comet, its first AI-powered web browser, in a major step toward challenging Google Search as the dominant way people access information online.
At launch, Comet will be made available to subscribers of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan and a limited number of invitees who joined a waitlist.
Comet’s key feature is Perplexity’s AI search engine, which comes pre-installed and set as the default, showcasing the company’s core offering: AI-generated summaries of search results.
In addition, users can tap into Comet Assistant, a new AI agent built into the browser designed to automate common digital tasks. According to Perplexity, the assistant can summarize emails and calendar events, manage browser tabs, and navigate web pages. It’s accessible through a side panel, allowing the AI to view and interact with the current webpage.
Perplexity has launched several tools in recent months, but Comet may be its most ambitious. CEO Aravind Srinivas has heavily promoted its release, seemingly viewing it as a pivotal product in Perplexity’s broader strategy to compete with Google.
With Comet, the company aims to bypass Google Chrome — the world’s leading browser — and reach users directly. Even Google appears to be heading in the same direction, having recently integrated AI features into Chrome and rolled out its own AI search product, which closely mirrors Perplexity’s approach.
Srinivas said in March that his vision for Comet is to “develop an operating system with which you can do almost everything,” enabling Perplexity’s AI to support users across websites and applications. He added in June that becoming a user’s default browser could lead to “infinite retention,” ultimately increasing the number of user requests.
Still, the browser space is highly competitive. While Chrome and Safari dominate the market, The Browser Company introduced its AI-powered browser, Dia, in June, offering similar functionality. Meanwhile, OpenAI is reportedly considering a browser of its own and has hired several former members of the original Chrome team.
Comet could get early traction if Perplexity’s user base adopts it widely. Srinivas recently noted that the company processed 780 million queries in May 2025 and is experiencing more than 20% monthly growth. Replacing Google Search is a tall order, but by launching its own browser, Perplexity may be taking the right step — though convincing users to switch browsers could prove even tougher than moving them away from Google Search.
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