Comet: The AI Browser That Could Replace Chrome
Jeriel Isaiah Layantara
CEO & Founder of Round Bytes
Summary
Perplexity AI has officially launched Comet, a revolutionary AI browser that will take on existing browser like Google Chrome and Safari. Comet works advanced AI in your Browse environment through instant answers, proactive help, and a significant amount of automation, which can completely change how we search for and engage with information online. Comet is more efficient web experience, but it is also actively engaging in important conversations about user data, privacy, and copyright relating to content.
It's been years since the browsers we use have been those digital windows that show us the web in ways that kept us moving forward. It has become so automatic for us to type, search, click, read and just do it over and over every day. What if your browser could understand your intention, act on your behalf, and synthesize information in real time?
It's the exciting new reality presented by Perplexity AI, with the launch of its new Comet, which has been in development for over a year. It is a serious competitor to established giants like Google Chrome and Safari. If their vision is realized, it is going to change the way we interact with the web in our every day internet use by embedding a level of artificial intelligence into new online experiences.
Perplexity AI is a fast growing startup, along with established founders, like as Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, that is launching not just another tool, but a new approach to "agentic search" meaning that the browser isn't a mode of information, it's an intelligent co-pilot as you navigate the web.
What is Comet?
Comet browser is an AI native browser built on the Chromium open source project as Google Chrome is. As such, for many users Comet will feel familiar. Everything, from tab management to extensions, has been tailored to that experience to allow for a smooth transition from their existing Browse experience. However, familiarity is just the stage for its AI capabilities.
Comet replaces the normal search box with Perplexity's AI search engine. You won't get a list of blue links, instead Comet's intent is based on giving you direct, structured answers with transparency in sourcing, and allows to verify information with a click when applicable. But that's just part of Comet's goal. It sees itself operating as a "sidecar assistant", always there in the background, ready to help to transform the passive Browse experience into an active, intelligent, interactive experience.
Here are a few standout features of Comet:
- Search with AI: Instead of just giving you a list of links, Comet's goal is to give you answers from trusted sources, structured, and the answer should be direct from the source, so you don't have to skim through a bunch of articles and come to your own conclusion on what is credible.
- Follow up: Comet browser automatically suggests other follow up questions, or additional information related to the topic you are currently working on. Based on your search topic, Comet is there without you having to ask it to be. This will help your understanding of the topic, or guide your research.
- Source in Site: Comet marks up the sources/global web references, in contrast to some common search engine, Comet clearly states where its information is coming from. It marked it not only to help you verify the sources, but to set the stage for your trust in the AI answers.
- Deep Personal Data Integration (with User Control): This is where Comet really goes further than the rest. With your consent, Comet has access to your personal data across multiple integrated systems such as Gmail and Google Calendar. Imagine asking your browser to summarize your recent emails, brief you on meetings ahead, schedule appointments or manage invites, even generate shopping lists by checking product availability across e-commerce platforms.
- Contextual Video Interaction: When it comes to video content, Comet can remember videos you've watched and has the ability to summarize those videos, let you search for parts or phrases, or cut and send video clips directly to your teams' communications tools like Slack with simple prompts to its AI assistant.
- Multimodal: Comet can handle a variety of input types (text, image or document), and collects input in a single tab. So, one tab = all modes and implied context of research or interaction with the content.
The vision is Comet grow into an "AI operating system" for white collar workers, working seamlessly in the background, performing tasks based on natural language queries and a straightforward action that integrates "zero manual input" from the worker above. This suggests that we may be headed to a future where laborious tasks like managing a recruiter's candidate pipeline to an executive assistant's entire day can be accomplished within the context of a virtual assistant!
With the launch of Comet, the battle for the browser market is about to get more heated, where Google Chrome with just under 70% of the mobile market and Safari have for the most part been the only players. Perplexity is trying to disrupt by a complete change of the Browse paradigm.
The strategy is simple, use "browser stickiness" by getting smartphone manufacturers (OEMs) to pre-install Comet as the default browser on their new devices. While Aravind Srinivas acknowledges the steep challenge this poses against the thoroughly entrenched user loyalty to Chrome, he feels that Comet has some game changing AI features that may provide a unique opportunity. Those discussions are apparently underway, including, reportedly, with some of the largest companies like Samsung and Apple, where Comet AI powered search could also be integrated into digital assistants like Bixby and Siri.
Perplexity's explosive growth has the financial backing to match. The company announced (2022) that it just completed a funding round that apparently valued it at a whopping US$18 billion and its total funding has surpassed US$500 million. These financial capabilities put Perplexity in a strong position to realize its ambitions and grow quickly as it enters the market.
Perplexity aims to achieve "tens to hundreds of millions of users next year", indicating a desire to become mainstream. At the same time, Perplexity growth is also a part of the bigger screen, as other major players such as OpenAI and Microsoft are also investing heavily in AI based browser initiatives, since the browser is a recognized distribution vehicle for AI.
Data Privacy and Copyright Concerns
Perplexity AI is under public criticism and in legal proceedings over two main areas:
- User Data Collection and Privacy. CEO Aravind Srinivas said in a podcast interview about Comet that the app could potentially use user data outside the app for personalized advertising, which drew backlash. While Srinivas later clarified that users would be able to opt-out, the original comments led to broad concern regarding data privacy and how far AI will go with data harvesting.
- Copyright Infringement Claims. Perplexity now faces legal actions from significant news publishers including Dow Jones (News Corp) and the New York Post, and has received threats of legal action from the BBC. These publishers allege Perplexity engaged in "content kleptocracy" and accused Perplexity of copyright infringement by providing similar AI generated answers that closely mirrored their proprietary information, but without licences or attribution. Perplexity insists it respects publisher content, and has offered a revenue share program, although the lawsuits highlight the unanswered legal and ethical questions to the ingest and recreation of copyrighted material by AI models.
These controversies highlight the complicated ethical and legal landscape an AI company must navigate as it pushes the boundaries of technology. For Comet, it is important to balance innovation with ethical data handling practices as well as respect to intellectual property rights for future growth and widespread usage.
Closing Thoughts
Perplexity AI launch of Comet is a tipping point for the internet. It represents a clear departure from the traditional web browse and the creation of an AI powered agentic experience. The change will offer user benefits in efficiency, hyper personalization, and intuitive interactions with information, dramatically altering the ways we work, learn, and consume.
Comet future is not without challenges and predicated on addressing legitimate concerns about data privacy and copyright. However, its arrival is a clear signal about the future of web browsers, they will be intelligent, proactive, and operating within artificial intelligence systems. For users, this should mean more powerful tools at their disposal. For companies, this should mean reassessing workflows and adopting AI power automation. For the technology space, it should mean the browser wars have entered their more exciting and possibly the most disruptive phase. Hold on, because the AI web is not just coming, it is already here.
