Perplexity launches AI-powered Comet Browser free for all users worldwide

Perplexity AI has officially released its highly anticipated Comet browser to the world, making the AI-driven tool available for free to all users globally. The move, announced by CEO Aravind Srinivas, democratizes the product after a limited initial release to paid subscribers and positions Comet as a direct, powerful challenger to established browsers like Google Chrome.

Perplexity claims the new browser will fundamentally change the way people interact with the web, shifting the focus from passive content consumption to "agentic search" where an AI assistant actively handles tasks on the user's behalf.

Key features of the AI-first browser

Comet, which is built on the Chromium foundation to ensure compatibility with Chrome extensions, aims to be more than just a search tool. Its core innovation is the built-in Comet Assistant, an AI-powered helper that works directly within every new tab.

Agentic AI assistant: The Comet Assistant can perform complex, multi-step tasks across the internet. Users can prompt it to:

1. Summarize long articles or videos

2. Draft emails or manage schedules

3. Automate shopping by comparing prices and finding deals

4. Organize and manage tabs into "workspaces" for different projects.

• Contextual intelligence: The browser maintains awareness of your current browsing activity and past sessions to provide relevant assistance without requiring users to switch tabs or copy-paste information.

• Productivity Tools: Comet features a workspace model that helps eliminate tab clutter, improving productivity for users involved in research, content creation, and professional workflows.

Since its limited launch in July, Perplexity noted that early users asked 6 to 18 times more questions on their first day, suggesting the integrated AI makes complex querying a "delightful default-mode of internet use."

Premium features and the "Browser War"

While the core AI search features are now free for everyone, Perplexity retains several advanced features for its premium subscribers (Pro and Max plans):

• Background assistants: This new feature, available to Max subscribers, allows the AI to work asynchronously in the background, tackling multiple items on a to-do list without requiring active user supervision.

• Email assistant: Another Max-exclusive, this tool can be CC'd on email threads to help with scheduling and drafting replies that match the user's tone.

• Comet Plus: A new optional $5 subscription service, or included for Pro/Max users, designed to provide the AI assistant with access to journalism content while compensating publishers for the material.

The global, free launch is the latest in the growing "AI browser war". Google is already ahead after integrating Gemini into Chrome, while OpenAI and Anthropic have also entered the race to redefine how we navigate the web. Perplexity’s Comet is currently available for Windows and macOS desktop users, with mobile versions for iPhone and Android "coming soon."