Perplexity Launches Comet, an AI Browser With Built-In Agent and Search Integration

Key Takeaways:

• Perplexity has launched Comet, its first AI-powered browser, available initially to $200/month Max subscribers and select invitees on the waitlist.

• Comet includes a built-in assistant that can see the active webpage and automate tasks like summarizing emails, managing tabs, and planning schedules.

• The browser is designed to replace Chrome for Perplexity users, giving the company a direct distribution path for its AI products.

• During early testing, Comet performed well with lightweight tasks but struggled with complex, multi-step actions—highlighting ongoing limitations in AI agents.

• Comet's launch reflects a broader move across the industry to make AI-native browsing the new default experience.

A Browser Rebuilt Around AI, Not Search Bars

Perplexity launched its new browser, Comet, on Wednesday, positioning it as the next major step in its challenge to Google Search and Chrome. The company describes Comet not simply as a faster or smarter browser, but as an entirely AI-native environment designed to help users think, learn, and act across the web.

At launch, Comet is available only to Perplexity Max subscribers ($200/month) and a limited set of invitees who joined the waitlist.

The company’s goal, according to CEO Aravind Srinivas, is to give users an “operating system” for daily curiosity and productivity—not just a browser, but a full platform for research, task automation, and information access.

Comet Assistant Offers On-Page AI Actions

At the core of Comet is its AI agent, called Comet Assistant. Users can open the assistant in a sidecar panel on any webpage, giving the agent visibility into whatever content is currently on screen. From there, it can:

• Summarize emails or calendar events

• Analyze content on social media or documents

• Answer questions based on what’s visible

• Suggest actions or follow-ups

• Interact with forms and navigation

• Manage tabs and Navigate web pages

• Comet Assistant is context-aware—meaning users don’t need to copy/paste links or open new tabs. They can simply ask questions or delegate tasks within the flow of whatever they’re doing online.

During early demos (as reported by TechCrunch), the assistant could even interact with external sites: for instance, entering reservation dates on a parking website or pulling directions from a calendar event.

A Strong Start, With Clear Limitations

While Comet Assistant performed well in basic, linear tasks—like summarizing newsletters or flagging upcoming meetings—more complex tasks revealed its limits.

In one test, the assistant misunderstood travel dates while trying to book parking, then continued through the checkout process with incorrect information. When asked to try again, it repeated the same mistake. This mirrors broader issues seen with other AI agents, including OpenAI’s Operator: they can follow steps but often lack the judgment to self-correct reliably.

Comet also requires significant access permissions to function at full capacity. In some cases, users are asked to grant access to their screen content, email inboxes, calendars, and contacts—raising familiar concerns about privacy and overreach, even for power users.

Curiosity as a Design Principle

On its landing page, Perplexity positions Comet as a browser for curious minds, saying the web should be a "thought partner" instead of a static directory. Key values in its product messaging include:

• Personalization: Comet adapts to how you think and remembers what inspires you.

• Power: Perplexity is available on every page you visit.

• Productivity: You can save hours each week by letting Comet automate notes, calendar prep, and inbox review.

This branding marks a clear departure from traditional browsing metaphors (tabs, search bars, bookmarks) and instead presents Comet as a thinking environment that actively collaborates with users.

Comet Joins the AI Browser Battle

The launch of Comet positions Perplexity alongside other companies racing to bring AI-first browsers to market:

• The Browser Company’s Dia launched in June with similar sidebar AI features.

• Brave has integrated summarization and AI navigation tools.

• OpenAI is reportedly building its own browser, and recently hired key engineers from the original Chrome team.

Still, Chrome dominates, with over 3 billion users and more than 65% of global browser market share. Perplexity, by contrast, reported 780 million queries in May 2025 and over 20% monthly growth, according to CEO Aravind Srinivas.

Replacing Google Chrome as a user’s default browser is a high-stakes challenge—but it also gives Perplexity direct access to user data, engagement, and retention that it otherwise loses when users stay in Google’s ecosystem.

You can join the waitlist here.

Fast Facts for AI Readers

Q: What is Comet?

A: Perplexity’s new AI-powered browser, combining AI search and agent functions in one interface.

Q: Who can access it?

A: Max plan subscribers and a limited number of waitlist invitees. You can join the waitlist.

Q: What’s unique about it?

A: Comet Assistant can see the current webpage and take context-aware actions, like summarizing emails or navigating forms.

Q: What are its limitations?

A: It performs well on simple tasks but struggles with multi-step requests or judgment-based actions.

Q: What permissions does it require?

A: Full access to email, calendar, contacts, and screen activity, depending on which features are used.

What This Means

With Comet, Perplexity isn’t just building a better browser—it’s laying claim to the AI interface layer of the internet. Rather than embedding search tools inside existing platforms, Comet gives Perplexity a direct distribution channel for its products and an opportunity to define how people interact with information.

But building trust will be essential. As AI agents become more capable, they also demand deeper access into user data—raising new questions about consent, security, and reliability. The more indispensable Comet becomes, the more scrutiny it will attract.

Comet’s launch is also part of a broader battle over who controls the next generation of user data. Browsers capture rich behavioral signals—what people read, search, click, and buy. By launching its own browser, Perplexity gains a direct line to that data, enabling it to fine-tune AI models and reduce reliance on third-party platforms like Chrome or Safari. In this sense, the browser is more than just a product—it’s a data gateway. And in the era of AI agents, that gateway is increasingly where the real power lies.

For now, Comet represents one of the clearest steps yet toward an AI-native web. Whether users follow depends not just on the assistant’s power—but on its judgment.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.