Key Points
- Perplexity is expanding its AI browser, Comet, to Windows users, with early testing underway.
- The browser has built-in AI tools, like a shopping discount finder and a virtual “try on” feature.
- The CEO sparked privacy concerns by suggesting the browser would gather data from outside the app.
- An Android version of the Comet browser is also in development and reportedly ahead of schedule.
Perplexity is set to introduce its new AI-powered browser, Comet, to a broader audience. The company’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, announced that a Windows version of the browser is now ready, and early testers are already getting their hands on it. He also hinted that an Android version is “moving at a crazy pace and moving ahead of schedule.”
Comet isn’t just another web browser. It’s built from the ground up with artificial intelligence at its core, designed to act like a smart assistant. It can answer your questions directly, search through your online shopping carts to find discounts, and even retrieve unanswered emails. A beta version for Mac users even showcased a “Try on” feature that utilizes AI to display what a piece of clothing would look like on you.
Although it has not yet been fully released, Comet has already sparked some controversy. The CEO caused a stir when he said on a podcast that Perplexity would use Comet to “get data even outside the app to better understand you.” After a swift backlash over privacy concerns, Srinivas clarified his comments, saying that any personalization for targeted ads would be completely optional for users.
There’s no official public release date yet, and for now, you can only join a waitlist. When it does launch, Comet will be entering a competitive space, competing with similar AI browsers from major players such as Google, OpenAI, and Opera.
