Perplexity AI has officially launched its new browser, Comet. Promising to “Boost your focus, streamline your workflow, and turn curiosity into momentum”, Comet is is a new take on web browsing that looks a lot like an app that simply provides a front end to Perplexity’s AI tools.
Web browsers are, for most of us, the most used tool in our computing arsenal. As well as being the gateway to search tools, we use browsers to access online services like banking, email and business apps. In short, we place a huge amount of trust in our web browsers.
As things stand, Chrome dominates the global marketshare for web browsers with almost 70% of the market with Safari sitting at around 15% and the rest, including Microsoft Edge, making up the rest. Comet, and Open AI’s soon-to-come browser will look to make a dent in those numbers. But what’s their goal?
Browsers don’t really make any money for their developers. But they ship with default settings such as which search engine is used. And those default settings are where the value is. For example, Google pays Apple a hefty annual sum (which is under review by regulators) to ensure Google is the default search engine in Safari.
Perplexity’s goal here is to capture more data from users. As it’s often said, “If the service is free, you’re the product.”
The data Perplexity can collect through the queries people make to its AI tools helps to train its models.
Access to download Comet currently requires an invitation. Or you can jump the queue by paying $200 per month (yikes) to upgrade to Perplexity’s Max services. You can sign up for the waitlist using your Apple ID which leverages ‘Hide my email’ so you can minimise what information you give Perplexity.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.