- By Prateek Levi
- Fri, 25 Apr 2025 03:15 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Comet Browser: Perplexity had announced previously in February that it has plans to move forward with its own browser, Comet, which is a departure from its core identity as an AI-powered chat assistant. All courtesy of a podcast on which CEO Aravind Srinivas made an appearance and hinted that this plan is again getting into focus.
On the podcast by TBPN, Srinivas said, “That’s kind of one of the other reasons we wanted to build a browser: we want to get data even outside the app to better understand you… We plan to use all the context to build a better user profile and, maybe you know, through our discover feed we could show some ads there.”
This is the same kind of strategy that Google has been employing with its Chrome browser for several years now, and it has also made the tech giants servers one of the most potent tools that gather data from all over the world. Now it seems that Perplexity might be on a similar path, by using AI not only as a chatbot but also to learn the user's behaviour online and their habits.
Comet is being developed using Chromium—the same open-source foundation behind Chrome and Microsoft Edge. This gives Perplexity a head start in the browser space, complete with extension support, a familiar environment for developers, and a polished, cross-platform experience.
However, the company might be aiming even higher. Amid ongoing antitrust scrutiny around Google’s dominance in search, rumours have been swirling about a possible forced divestiture of Chrome. During legal proceedings, Perplexity’s Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko didn’t rule out the idea of acquiring Chrome, stating the company could “continue running the browser at its current scale.”
It would seem that Perplexity is on its way to laying the foundations for a larger ecosystem by entering into this data-driven field. If Perplexity does go forward with it, its AI chatbot won't just answer your questions but also understand your habits, routines and priorities across the web.
That’s the vision behind “contextual computing”, and it’s quickly becoming the direction the industry is moving in. Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, and even ChatGPT’s Voice Mode are gradually adopting this approach. But with its own browser, Perplexity has a chance to jump ahead—blending AI with behavioural insights right at the source.
Obviously this has its own set of concerns like data privacy, consent, and how transparent it is with its users and the awareness about what is being tracked and what is being utilised. Tech giant Google has already faced a lot of criticism on these matters, Perplexity would have to keep these things in mind as it inches forward in this race.
