Perplexity’s Comet Aims to Usurp Chrome with AI-Powered Smartphone Push

An agentic browser tailored for the AI age—can Perplexity’s Comet dethrone established giants like Google and Apple by harnessing the power of smartphones? A New Rival on the Horizon Perplexity AI, backed by heavyweight investors such as Jeff Bezos, Nvidia, SoftBank, and Eric Schmidt, has staked its ambition on Comet, an AI-first browser that seeks to upend the status quo. Officially launched in July 2025, Comet is built atop Chromium—offering familiarity for users—yet it weaponizes artificial intelligence to transform traditional browsing into a proactive experience. In short order, this startup reached a $14 billion valuation following a $500 million Series C funding round, a testament to both investor confidence and perceived market opportunity. Comet is currently being rolled out to Perplexity’s highest-tier “Pro Max” subscribers at $200/month, alongside a curated beta cohort. The goal: ride desktop momentum into an aggressive push for mobile dominance. Why Smartphones Are Critical Smartphones represent the battleground for browser primacy. Today, Google Chrome commands roughly 70% of mobile browser usage, with Apple’s Safari and Samsung’s native browser capturing another 24%. That leaves minimal space for newcomers—but also immense potential for disruption, especially through default install partnerships. In mid-2025, reports emerged that Perplexity was in talks with mobile OEMs—Samsung, Apple, Motorola, and others—to preinstall Comet as the default or optional browser on upcoming devices. A deal with Motorola is already underway, paving the way for discussions with Galaxy device makers and potentially Apple. Despite the negotiations’ nascency, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas emphasizes the challenge: “It’s not easy to convince mobile OEMs to change the default browser to Comet from Chrome.” Still, Perplexity aims to escalate from hundreds of thousands of desktop testers to “tens to hundreds of millions” of users by 2026. Their theory: habitual phone use means that pre-installed apps, particularly defaults, gain massive adoption—even when alternatives exist. What Sets Comet Apart Agentic AI at the Core What makes Comet truly stand out is its agentic browsing model: the browser doesn’t just enable search—it performs your tasks. Users can highlight a page, ask Comet to summarize, identify key points, send emails, book appointments, or even shop online—and it acts autonomously to complete these tasks. This is browsing as productivity, not navigation. Sidebar Assistant Comet features a persistent AI sidebar—dubbed the “Comet Assistant” or “sidecar”—that delivers contextual insights and task automation without navigating away. As a result, web interaction shifts from passive page-viewing to active engagement. Privacy by Default Privacy is a central pillar. Instead of relying on cloud servers, Comet processes data locally whenever possible, ensuring user inputs and browsing history aren’t used for model training unless explicitly permitted. Multiple tracking modes offer varying degrees of control, including a “strict” mode that confines all operations to the device. Built on Chromium Comet preserves the core features users love about Chrome, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers—extensions, bookmarks, tab syncing—while adding its AI layer on top. This compatibility reduces onboarding friction that plagues many radical browser alternatives. The AI Browser Arms Race Comet isn’t alone. Google has been expanding an “AI Mode” in Chrome. OpenAI is reportedly crafting its own browser infused with GPT agents. Companies like Arc, Brave, Neeva, Opera, and The Browser Company’s Dia are racing to bring AI-native browsing to life. CEO Srinivas has argued that Google’s ad-driven model could be a disadvantage in adapting to the AI paradigm, claiming it forces the company to choose between monetization and innovation. Critics argue that many current AI agents are glitchy—misclicking, misunderstanding intent, or compromising trust. But Perplexity insists Comet’s agentic approach, built on strong local processing, is hard for incumbents to replicate. Monetization & Strategic Foundations Comet’s monetization is centered around two primary pillars: Subscription-based revenue – Comet is currently exclusive to Perplexity’s Pro Max users, with broader paid and free tiers expected later in the year across desktop and mobile. In-browser commerce & ads – Comet’s AI can natively integrate e-commerce features—price comparisons, in-page purchases, booking platforms—creating new monetization methods that sidestep traditional ad blockers. Users may benefit from seamless experiences, while Perplexity collects referral or transaction fees. Perplexity aims for profitability ahead of a projected IPO around 2028. Implications For Users & Publishers User Experience: Efficiency Meets Agency Comet redefines browsing as task execution. Data entry, email, scheduling—these tasks, once fragmented, are now streamlined. No more search-compare-copy-paste sequences. In the words of Perplexity marketing, Comet is like “a second brain.” Critics note, however, that over-reliance on AI agents could erode digital literacy and agency. For example, early reviewers report minor errors: Comet occasionally misinterprets page elements, needs confirmation, or takes longer than expected. But the company views these as acceptable trade-offs in an evolving UX paradigm. Publisher & SEO Disruption Traditional SEO—publishing content optimized for clicks—may become obsolete if AI agents summarize pages responsively. Comet’s ability to pull information directly without visiting pages could diminish pageviews and ad impressions. Publishers are asking for stricter controls or metadata protocols to assert when AI can read and repurpose content. The dynamic will echo debates around streaming vs. linear TV, disrupt traditional ad monetization, and prompt media organizations to rethink how they engage with AI browsers. Privacy Implications While Comet emphasizes local processing, broader concerns remain. Tracking of inputs, demographic profiling, and data sharing often accompany AI-enabled tools. Public audits could reveal hidden data flows—a challenge Perplexity must address through transparency and oversight. Challenges & Roadblocks 1. OEM adoption barriersConvincing manufacturers to switch default browsers is complex. Google pays billions to companies like Samsung to maintain Chrome dominance on Android. Apple’s Safari is locked into iOS. Regulatory scrutiny of default bundling agreements may also complicate negotiations. 2. Product refinementComet must evolve from a clever desktop beta to a robust, high-quality product. Early feedback praises potential but highlights latency, misunderstanding, and occasional inaccuracy. 3. Publisher and regulatory pushbackPublishers may lobby for AI content usage fees or AI opt-out. Regulators could introduce guidelines around automated content access, user profiling, and cross-border data flows. 4. Competition & inertiaGoogle, Microsoft, and Apple have resources, developer ecosystems, and user inertia