Perplexity’s Comet: An AI-Powered Browser for All
Perplexity’s agentic AI browser, Comet, initially served for a steep price tag, is now available to everyone for free.
Perplexity’s bold iteration on the browser game is now in open access, shaking things up in a field dominated by the likes of Google’s Chrome.
Putting AI at the Heart of Web Browsing
Comet isn’t your run-of-the-mill browser. The prime selling point lies in
how it seamlessly integrates Perplexity’s AI search tools and a personal AI assistant — an intelligent entity that ‘travels the web’ alongside the user, actively partaking in the browsing experience, instead of being a mere supplement to a traditional browser. This assistant aims to enhance your website navigation, being handy for tasks such as shopping, booking trips, and managing life admin. The overarching goal, in the company’s words: you “get more done.”
The AI-powered browser launched in July, initially restricted to users who subscribed to the $200 per month Perplexity Max plan. Perplexity later offered access to select subscribers of its more affordable Pro plan and to those who earned an invitation from a lengthy waiting list. The most significant shift, though: no subscription at all will be needed to use Comet moving forward.
Comet Plus and Its Exclusive Partners
In an exciting development, Perplexity has also detailed the launch partners for Comet Plus, debuted in August as a subscription package offering access to choice news content. Aravind Srinivas, the CEO, likened this option to Apple News Plus. Partnered outlets include esteemed names like CNN, Conde Nast, Fortune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. Comet Plus is available to Perplexity Pro and Max subscribers at no additional cost, while others can access it for $5 per month.
Perplexity isn’t the only company implementing AI in web browsing. Google has added its AI, Gemini, to Chrome. The Browser Company integrated AI in Arc Browser with Dia, and Opera also recently launched its AI browser, Neon. However, with its exploration into democratized access to an AI-dominant browser, Comet is surely the one to watch.
Note: A previous version of this article provided inaccurate information about Comet Plus’s pricing. Presently, Comet Plus is included with the paid Pro/Max plans or available for $5 per month for non-subscribers.
Original article: https://www.theverge.com/news/790419/perplexity-comet-available-everyone-free
