Perplexity AI announced on Thursday that Comet, its artificial intelligence-powered web browser, is now available across the globe and will be offered to users free of charge.
The Comet browser is designed to act as a personal assistant, capable of performing essential tasks like searching the web, organizing numerous tabs, drafting emails, assisting with online shopping, and many other functions, according to Perplexity. The startup initially launched Comet in July exclusively for its Perplexity Max subscribers, who pay $200 monthly. The company reported that the initial waiting list for Comet had swelled to “millions” of interested people.
Competing in the AI Browser Market
Perplexity’s decision to provide Comet for free is a strategic move intended to quickly attract a massive user base. This push is critical as the company works to compete with powerful rivals such as Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, all of whom have established their own AI-powered browser offerings.
The competitive landscape is already dense. Google integrated its Gemini AI into its Chrome browser in September. Anthropic released details about a browser-based AI agent in August, and OpenAI debuted Operator, an agent that uses a browser to complete tasks, back in January. In a display of aggressive intent, Perplexity also made an unsolicited $34.5 billion bid for Google’s Chrome browser in August.
Search Engine Roots and Publisher Partnerships
Perplexity is primarily known for its AI-powered search engine that provides users with straightforward, summarized answers to questions while linking out to the original source material on the web. After the company faced accusations of plagiarizing content from media outlets, it responded by launching a revenue-sharing model with publishers last year to address these concerns.
Furthermore, the company introduced Comet Plus in August, a subscription service that grants users access to premium content from “trusted publishers and journalists,” as detailed in a blog post. Perplexity recently announced its first set of publishing partners, which includes prominent names such as CNN, Condé Nast, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Le Monde, and Le Figaro.
Perplexity also teased that more features are in development. The company hinted at a mobile version of Comet and a feature known as Background Assistant, which will be able to work on multiple tasks simultaneously and asynchronously.
What The Author Thinks
By offering the Comet browser completely free, Perplexity is executing an extremely bold strategy that prioritizes widespread adoption over immediate revenue. This move signals that the company views the browser as the new front line in the AI war, aiming to become the default interface for the internet rather than just a search utility. While this will burn significant capital, it forces behemoths like Google to respond directly to a free, powerful competitor in their home territory, potentially creating a major shift in user habits towards integrated AI assistants.
Featured image credit: Justin Min via Unsplash
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