Perplexity AI, the fast-rising Nvidia-backed startup, is in talks with mobile device makers to pre-install its new Comet browser on smartphones, aiming to challenge the dominance of Google Chrome and Apple Safari. CEO Aravind Srinivas told Reuters that while it’s difficult to dislodge entrenched defaults, securing such deals could be a game-changer for user growth.
The company recently closed a $500 million funding round, valuing it at $14 billion. Investors include Nvidia, Accel, Jeff Bezos, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt
Comet is currently in beta for desktops and integrates Perplexity’s AI capabilities directly into the browsing experience. Users can ask it questions related to their emails, calendars, or browsing history, and even delegate tasks like scheduling meetings or summarising web pages. Srinivas said the company hopes to stabilise the product for a few hundred thousand testers before targeting “tens to hundreds of millions” of users next year.
At the core of Perplexity’s push is the idea of “agentic AI”—browsers with embedded intelligence that act more like digital assistants, automating tasks with minimal user input. It’s a direction the entire industry seems to be heading toward.
OpenAI, for instance, is reportedly working on a similar AI-driven browser to handle complex, multi-step tasks like travel planning and finance management.
However, dislodging Chrome and Safari won’t be easy. Chrome dominates with a 70% share of the mobile browser market, according to Statcounter, while Safari and Samsung’s native browser together control another 24%.
Earlier reports have suggested Perplexity is also in talks with Apple and Samsung to bring its AI features directly to their virtual assistants, Siri and Bixby. That could provide another entry point into millions of devices.
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