In a bold move to redefine how we interact with the internet, Perplexity AI has unveiled Comet, its first AI powered web browser designed to enhance productivity and streamline workflows for the digital workforce. With prominent investors such as NVIDIA, Jeff Bezos, and SoftBank, Perplexity is targeting Chrome’s dominance head on by infusing browsing with conversational intelligence, privacy by design, and seamless automation.
On July 9, 2025, Perplexity officially launched Comet for its Max plan subscribers at $200 per month, granting early adopters exclusive access via an invitation system. Initially available on Windows and macOS, Comet promises to be a transformative solution for users seeking an AI centric browsing experience that leverages Perplexity’s advanced answer engine at its core.
Technical Details
Built on the open source Chromium framework, Comet ensures full compatibility with existing Chrome extensions, settings, and bookmarks for a seamless transition. Under the hood, it integrates Perplexity’s proprietary LLM based search engine and agentic AI modules. The browser’s side panel assistant, Comet Assistant, has contextual awareness of page content, enabling it to parse, summarize, and act on user requests. All user data and session histories are stored locally, ensuring that no personal information is sent back for model training and thereby preserving enterprise grade privacy standards.
Key Features
- AI First Search: Default search integration with Perplexity’s answer engine delivers instant, citation backed summaries without opening new tabs.
- Comet Assistant: A persistent sidebar agent that can draft emails, schedule meetings, automate form fills, and even compare product specs on the fly.
- Seamless Extension Support: One click import of existing Chrome extensions and settings keeps workflows uninterrupted.
- Privacy Centric Design: All browsing data remains on the user’s device; no telemetry is used for model retraining.
With Chrome and Safari collectively holding over 80% of the global browser share, persuading enterprise users to switch to Comet represents a significant adoption hurdle. Overcoming entrenched workflows and IT inertia will require a truly compelling value proposition.
Comet’s Local First Privacy Model
Comet stores all browsing data, search histories, AI queries, and settings locally on the user’s device, with no telemetry sent to Perplexity. Device level encryption and ephemeral tokens safeguard data and AI operations, ensuring compliance with the GDPR and CCPA. This on device approach not only prevents centralized breaches but also speeds up AI features by leveraging local caches. For IT leaders, it delivers enterprise grade privacy without sacrificing performance.
Conclusion
Comet represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of web browsing, merging AI’s cognitive power with established browsing convenience. While adoption barriers remain, Perplexity’s strategic investor backing, robust privacy commitments, and feature roadmap position Comet for success among both enterprise and tech savvy audiences. At Veritis, we’re excited to explore how Comet’s AI first capabilities can accelerate our digital transformation projects and deliver even greater productivity gains for our clients. As agentic AI becomes the norm, Comet could well be the browser that turns everyday browsing into a proactive, productivity driving experience.
Additional Resources:
- Google Introduces Ironwood Chip for High-Speed AI Applications
- Hugging Face Launches Open Computer Agent AI Tool for Automated Tasks
- OpenAI Launches SearchGPT Prototype for Testing as New AI Search Engine
- DeepSeek AI – The Next Frontier in Artificial Intelligence Innovation
- Google Project Mariner, the AI Agent Redefining How You Navigate the Web