Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas is once again promoting the company’s newly launched Comet AI browser to end Google’s dominance on the internet. In a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Indian-origin CEO of the AI startup shared a short clip of the new Comet browser that Perplexity launched last month and wrote: “Internet is too important to be left in Google’s hands.” This comes after the company offered to buy the popular Chrome browser from Google for $34.5 billion. Later on, Perplexity launched its own AI-powered browser, Comet, to rival Google Chrome. The AI-based web browser is built on the Chromium open-source framework and claims to offer users a familiar experience.
Why Perplexity wanted to buy Chrome from Google
In August, Perplexity submitted an unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser. The three-year-old startup confirmed it sent the formal bid to Google, despite being valued at $18 billion itself. As Chrome has over 3 billion users worldwide, it would’ve been a notable asset for Perplexity in the competition for AI-powered search dominance.Perplexity’s $34.5 billion proposal included commitments to address regulatory and user concerns. The company plans to invest $3 billion over two years in Chrome development and infrastructure, maintain Chromium as open source, and leave Chrome’s default search settings unchanged.The offer came at a time when the US Department of Justice was seeking to force Google to sell Chrome after a judge ruled that the company held an illegal monopoly in internet search. At that time, DOJ argued that divesting Chrome would prevent Google from controlling a key access point to search and open opportunities for rival engines.
What we know about Perplexity’s new Comet browser
Last month, Perplexity launched the Comet browser, which is built on the Chromium framework. It supports Chrome extensions and bookmarks while adding AI-based tools for productivity, research, and task management. Comet includes an AI sidebar assistant that can summarise articles, draft emails, manage schedules, and automate tasks directly within the browser. It also introduces workspaces for organising tabs and projects, personalised recommendations, and features like email prioritisation, content generation, and real-time fact-checking.Comet is currently available in India for Perplexity Pro users on Windows and macOS, with Android pre-orders open and iOS support in progress. Perplexity has partnered with Bharti Airtel to offer a one-year free Pro subscription to encourage adoption.
