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Nvidia-backed Perplexity launches AI-powered Comet browser to challenge Google Chrome

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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.

Google Hit with £5 Billion Lawsuit in the UK Over Alleged Abuse of Online Search Dominance

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Alphabet’s Google is facing a class action lawsuit in the UK that could result in damages of up to £5 billion ($6.6 billion or approximately Rs. 56,536 crore). The lawsuit, filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal, accuses the tech giant of abusing its dominant position in the online search market, claiming that its actions have inflated advertising costs and harmed competition. The legal battle highlights the growing scrutiny of Google’s market practices, particularly its influence over online search and advertising.

The class action, led by competition law expert Or Brook, argues that Google’s business practices have allowed the company to charge higher prices for the ads that appear in search results than it would be able to in a competitive market. A significant part of the case revolves around Google’s alleged agreements with phone manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and the Chrome browser on Android devices. The lawsuit also claims that Google paid Apple to make its search engine the default on iPhones, further stifling competition from other search engines.

According to the plaintiffs, these practices were designed to give Google a competitive edge in the online search and advertising markets, ensuring its search engine had superior functionality and features compared to its rivals. By locking in users and developers to its ecosystem, the lawsuit claims Google effectively shut out competitors, reducing choices for consumers and increasing costs for advertisers.

In response, Google has dismissed the lawsuit as “speculative and opportunistic.” A spokesperson for the company stated that the tech giant would “vigorously” defend itself against the claims. The spokesperson further argued that consumers and advertisers continue to use Google’s services because they are helpful and effective, not because there are no alternatives in the market. This lawsuit adds to the growing legal challenges Google faces in various countries over its market dominance and antitrust practices.