Perplexity’s Next Bet? An AI-Driven Browser Called Comet

Perplexity is moving beyond AI search and into the crowded web browser market.

The $9 billion startup teased its new browser, Comet, on X, calling it an “agentic search” experience. It launched a signup list but offered few details on how the browser will stand out from competitors.

Comet: A Browser for Agentic Search by Perplexity

Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/SwVSwudgtN

— Perplexity (@perplexity_ai) February 24, 2025

“Just like we reinvented search with AI, we’re also reinventing the browser,” a Perplexity spokesperson told ADWEEK, but stopped short on sharing Comet’s key features and whether it will run ads.

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Perplexity has raised over $500 million and fields more than 100 million queries each week. The company has been ramping up monetization through advertising and ecommerce—and now, it’s betting a browser could be its next big play.

It’s an ambitious move in a space dominated by Google Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge—browsers deeply embedded in their respective ecosystems.

While it’s unclear how Comet will differentiate itself, Perplexity’s push into web browsing signals an effort to control more of the search experience. If Perplexity weaves its AI-powered search engine directly into the browsing interface, it could mean users can surface answers without the need to visit traditional search results at all.

“Though the space is crowded with competitors, no one has yet built a robust AI integration into the browser experience in a way that takes off with consumers,” said Damian Rollison, SOCi’s director of market insights. “Many of the agentic tools recently debuted, but still hard to access, from companies like OpenAI would fit well in a browser format. A truly innovative browser could be the angle that helps propel Perplexity into broader market awareness.”

Meanwhile, Perplexity is also grappling with mounting legal challenges from publishers. The New York Times has demanded the startup stop accessing its premium content, while the New York Post and News Corp’s Dow Jones have sued Perplexity for copyright violations.

At the same time, the AI search company is trying to build goodwill with media outlets through its Publisher Program, which shares ad revenue when a publisher’s content appears alongside ads. The program has recently expanded, bringing on a second wave of partners including The Independent, LA Times, and Blavity.

The company has also challenged leaders like OpenAI with an AI research tool, “deep research,” while also launching an AI-powered assistant for Android and an API for AI search.