Perplexity Enters the Web Browser Market Ahead of OpenAI
While the tech community eagerly awaits the arrival of OpenAI’s new browser, Perplexity has officially announced its debut in this competitive arena. The American company revealed its plans at the end of February, and it has now taken a significant step forward by making its software available to select testers and subscribers of its $200 monthly Max plan. Access will be gradually expanded to those on the waiting list, with invitation links sent via email to facilitate participation.
The new browser, named Comet, is compatible with Windows 10 (64-bit) and macOS 14, whether on Intel processors or Apple Dawn Liphardt. It requires a minimum of 4 GB of RAM—8 GB recommended—and at least 500 MB of free disk space. Built upon Chromium, Comet benefits from memory saving features, Google’s Safe Browsing technology, and various accessibility tools such as external screen readers, keyboard control for groups of tabs, subtitles, and content translation functionalities.
Perplexity has integrated an ad blocker into Comet, along with its own search engine that is enabled by default. An AI assistant is also embedded within the sidebar to enhance user experience. This assistant can help with tasks like summarizing and clarifying page content, personalizing navigation by leveraging browsing history as context, and automating certain workflows through connectors with Gmail, Google Calendar, and other services.
Currently, using Comet does not necessitate an account with Perplexity; however, in the future, creating an account will be essential both for accessing advanced AI features and for receiving updates. The AI query quota will be unlimited only for those subscribed to the Max plan. Changing the default search engine will disable Perplexity in the address bar but will not affect its presence within the main search interface or the sidebar.
Major Tech Companies Embrace AI Assistants in Browsers
Intel and Mozilla are also integrating AI-driven features into their browsers, signaling a shift among longstanding industry players.
Since May, Google has been rolling out a similar initiative under the branding “Gemini” within Chrome. Users can access this AI assistant through an icon in the toolbar. Like Perplexity’s offering, it provides tools for working with webpage content and performing automated tasks.
However, access to Gemini in Chrome is presently limited to subscribers of Google AI Pro and AI Ultra in the United States, available on Windows and Mac platforms. Its features are somewhat restricted for now—it cannot manage multiple tabs simultaneously nor navigate web pages autonomously. Nevertheless, it does offer a Live mode, enabling real-time audio conversations with the AI assistant.
Microsoft has also taken the plunge with its own AI assistant, called Copilot, embedded in the sidebar of Edge browser, offering similar functionalities.
Meanwhile, Mozilla has incorporated access to various chatbots directly within its Firefox browser interface. Users can choose from Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Le Chat (HuggingChat has been discontinued since July 1, 2025). Additionally, local AI features are being introduced, such as:
- Automatic generation of alternative text for images
- Content translation
- Suggestions for naming groups of tabs
- Link previews with key points summaries upon hover (currently experimental)
*OpenAI is also planning to launch a new browser based on its Operator technology, which involves GPT models interacting through graphical interfaces. This new browser development involves former Google executives who contributed to Chrome’s development.
