Perplexity, the fast-growing AI search startup, has opened up its Comet AI browser to everyone worldwide at no cost. The move signals an aggressive push to challenge tech giants like Google Chrome and rising AI-first browsers such as Dia, while also bracing for OpenAI’s upcoming browser launch.
Originally launched three months ago for subscribers of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan, Comet quickly attracted “millions” to its waitlist. The browser’s standout feature is its sidecar assistant, which accompanies users as they browse, offering page summaries, answering questions, and navigating the web on their behalf.
By making Comet free, Perplexity hopes to scale adoption. Still, the company faces the challenge of proving that Comet’s agentic AI can consistently deliver real productivity boosts. Without clear benefits, users may hesitate to switch from their established browsers.
For free users, Comet’s experience is centered on the sidecar assistant and built-in tools. These include Discover for personalized news and content feeds, Spaces for project organization, Shopping for comparing deals across retailers, Travel for flights and accommodations, Finance for budgeting and investment tracking, and Sports for live scores and updates.
Paid users unlock more advanced capabilities. Pro subscribers at $20 per month get higher-performing AI models, image and video generation, file uploads, and Comet Plus, a $5-per-month add-on that provides an AI-enhanced alternative to Apple News. Max subscribers get the most exclusive perks, including Perplexity’s email assistant and early access to experimental products.
At a Wednesday evening event, CEO Aravind Srinivas unveiled the most ambitious feature yet for Max users: the “background assistant.” Designed as a kind of mission control for AI, the assistant can manage multiple tasks at once, running silently in the background while you focus on other work—or step away entirely.
A Perplexity spokesperson described it as “a team of assistants working for you” with a central dashboard where users can monitor progress and jump in when needed. Tasks could include sending emails, adding the cheapest concert tickets to a cart, or searching for the best direct flight on a chosen date. Once tasks are complete, the assistant sends a notification.
Beyond multitasking, the assistant also features stronger app connectors, giving it access to more software and workflows across a user’s computer. While details on full integrations remain limited, Perplexity says it’s working to expand use cases and demonstrate how the background assistant can truly outperform traditional browser tools.
With Comet now free, and premium tiers offering increasingly sophisticated AI features, Perplexity is betting that its browser will become the hub for a new era of intelligent, productivity-driven browsing.
The strategy also reflects a deeper bet on distribution. Browsers are one of the few places where AI can sit directly inside daily workflows, not as a destination but as an always-on layer. If Comet becomes the surface where people read, search, shop, and plan, Perplexity gains leverage that standalone apps rarely achieve. That positioning could be critical as AI features become commoditized across search engines and productivity tools.
There is also a data advantage at stake. By owning the browser, Perplexity can observe intent across the entire browsing journey, not just isolated queries. That context could make its agents smarter over time, improving recommendations, task execution, and personalization in ways traditional search cannot easily match. It also raises the bar for competitors that rely on plugins or limited integrations.
Still, the road ahead is not guaranteed. Convincing users to change browsers is notoriously hard, and incumbents will not stand still. Google, Apple, Microsoft, and OpenAI all have reasons to defend or expand their own AI-driven browsing experiences. Perplexity’s success will depend on whether Comet can move from impressive demos to daily indispensability. If it does, the browser may once again become the center of how people interact with the internet, this time powered by AI agents instead of tabs and bookmarks.
