Nvidia-backed Perplexity launches AI-powered Comet browser to challenge Google Chrome
Nvidia-backed startup Perplexity AI announced on Wednesday the launch of Comet, a new AI-powered web browser designed to compete with Alphabet’s dominant Google Chrome. The browser aims to revolutionize web navigation by using intelligent AI agents capable of thinking, acting, and deciding on users’ behalf, streamlining tasks into a conversational experience.
Google Chrome currently dominates the global browser market with a 68% share as of June, far ahead of competitors like Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox.
Comet offers users a unified interface where they can ask questions, perform tasks such as booking meetings, compare products, and summarize complex content—all via a built-in AI assistant. The browser targets simplifying workflows with natural language interactions.
Currently, Comet is accessible to subscribers of Perplexity Max, which costs $200 per month, with plans for a wider rollout by invite over the summer.
Backed by investors including Jeff Bezos, SoftBank, and Nvidia, Perplexity is positioning Comet not only as a browser competitor but also exploring new revenue avenues through advertising and e-commerce integration.
The move follows similar AI enhancements by competitors: OpenAI added a search engine feature to ChatGPT, and Google launched AI Overviews, an AI-driven search summary tool, last May.
Comet prioritizes user privacy by storing data locally and not using personal information for AI model training—a key differentiator likely to attract privacy-focused users.
However, Perplexity faces criticism from media companies like News Corp, Forbes, Wired, and Dow Jones for allegedly using their content without permission or payment. In response, Perplexity has introduced a publisher partnership program aimed at fostering collaboration with news organizations.