When Perplexity first launched its Comet AI browser in July, we warned that users might want to steer clear. But a lot can change in a few months, and since July, Perplexity has been improving its browser, even offering an option for people to skip the waitlist and get access to its Pro subscription free of charge just by being a PayPal or Venmo user.
Now, Perplexity has finally released Comet to the world, for free, and the company wants everyone to download it. “The internet is better with Comet,” the AI company claimed in an announcement post, noting that anyone who wants to try a browser with a personal AI assistant built in to answer questions and perform tasks can download Comet from its website.
What’s more intriguing is the fact that Perplexity says it won’t charge users for the browser or any of its first-party features. That said, there will be paid features available as part of Comet Plus, which will include access to some of “the world’s most reputable sources of news and information.” It sounds like it’s meant to be something similar to Apple News+, which congregates different news sources into a singular subscription. Even though Perplexity is making Comet free, does that mean it’s actually worth downloading? Well, that depends.
A browser for a more curious internet
One of the main selling points of Comet is Perplexity’s goal to make a browser meant for those more curious when using the internet. The company says that it believes “curious people lead the world,” and that’s the kind of people Comet is meant to cater to. By default, the browser users Perplexity’s AI assistant as your search engine, though you can easily change it to Google, Bing, or anything other option you prefer. Nevertheless, it’s clear the goal is to bring as many users into the Perplexity ecosystem as possible.
As intriguing of a prospect as a browser that revolves around AI might be, there’s one major reason to remain cautious: privacy. When you interact with a chatbot like ChatGPT or Gemini, you at least have some element of control over what you share with the AI. However, with AI browsers like Comet, you’re putting the AI right there on the page with you.
That means any page you visit can be accessed by that AI in some way. That includes everything from your YouTube home page to sites and services that you probably shouldn’t be sharing with an AI, like your bank account. Further, Comet is meant to learn how you think, a goal shared specifically by the company when it launched Comet. And the CEO of Perplexity has never shied away from the fact that he wants Comet to learn everything about you – a sentiment he was very open about back in April, before Comet even launched.
A new era for the internet
Of course, Comet is far from the only AI browser to start rolling out in recent months. Google embedded Gemini in Chrome recently, and Microsoft has continued to deeply integrate Copilot into all of its apps and services, including Edge. Opera also just announced its own AI browser, called Neon, which has its own waitlist users can sign up for.
We are, officially, in a new era of the internet. AI isn’t going anywhere, and the Trump administration plans to continue pushing it thanks to Trump’s AI Action Plan. It’s really up to you to decide whether you want to embrace AI browsing or stick to a browser that’s less bogged down by digital observers and assistants.
As you make your choice, be sure to keep privacy top of mind. Comet might be free, but there’s an age-old saying: if you aren’t paying for the product, you are a product. And that’s never been truer than it is with browsers like Comet, which gather your data and feed it to AI.
