Perplexity Comet browser effect: Did Google just become the 'new Microsoft' for Chrome

Perplexity Comet browser effect: Did Google just become the new Microsoft for Chrome

Google Chrome really did a number on Microsoft, especially in terms of the web browser war. Chrome ate Microsoft Internet Explorer for breakfast, and even after Microsoft switched gears with Edge – and the entire Copilot AI and Chromium-based approach, Chrome ate it for dinner by keeping users tied to it across all the platforms.

Now, Chrome has an emerging challenger in– both in the browser war and the AI space – Comet by Perplexity. So much so, Google is already promoting Chrome on the Comet browser whenever users open Google on the Comet web browser. This feels familiar. It reminds me of Microsoft's efforts with Edge, attempting to draw users away from Chrome – a move many considered desperate at the time.

Although Comet is being rolled out in the limited beta testing phase, it is already winning over people by offering a new way to browse with its Agentic AI integration within the browser. People who are going gaga about how Comet is making tasks easier by offering automations, tasks and even a deep AI integration that can interact with your calendar, emails and even websites and do things on your behalf.

But, there’s more to the story. Comet is also Perplexity – in an extended form, and this is where the big problem for Google — it is actually changing the way people ‘walk the web’.

Earlier, it was all about Google; now it is also about Perplexity.AI and its user-focused approach. It feels more like Google Search ‘AI Mode’ done right.

It certainly feels like Perplexity has managed to put a dent in Google’s dominance, especially with its Comet browser’s AI-first approach. But, Google isn’t far behind in all this; Google has the AI embedded where it should be. For instance, Google’s AI mode in search does a good job, then there’s Google overview, and then the entire range of Gemini models deeply integrated into Google services like Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Gmail, Photos and even Google Drive. This does not end here. Google also has a strong presence in the Workspace and corporate environment.

So, Perplexity AI and Comet becoming the go-to choice for users in day-to-day life is a long shot – at least for now. What the future holds – no one knows. One thing that has to be said is Perplexity Comet feels like a capable product, and the AI integration is something that Google should have done from day one with Chrome.