Perplexity AI is taking a bold step in its mission to challenge Google by attempting to become the new default browser on your next smartphone. Backed by industry giants like Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, the company is currently in active discussions with phone manufacturers to pre-install its AI-powered Comet browser on upcoming devices. If these partnerships materialize, it could drastically boost Comet’s reach and shift how users interact with AI on mobile.
Comet is not your typical web browser. Still in beta and available only on desktops for now, it blends AI-driven functions into the browser experience. Users can do everything from summarizing webpages and scheduling meetings to asking the browser questions based on personal data like emails or calendar entries. Unlike traditional search engines, Comet is designed to act, not just inform. It represents a shift toward agentic AI, where software can carry out tasks independently and anticipate user needs with minimal input.
CEO Aravind Srinivas acknowledges that the road ahead is not simple. Getting mobile OEMs to switch from default options like Chrome or Safari is a tough ask. The inertia of users sticking to pre-installed browsers is well known, and breaking into that space requires both trust and functionality. However, Perplexity’s vision is rooted in long-term engagement. If users are introduced to Comet early and find its AI tools useful, the habit could stick.
The company’s aspirations go beyond just adoption. Srinivas shared that Perplexity aims to scale Comet to tens or even hundreds of millions of users over the next year. The initial phase is focused on stabilizing the product for its first wave of testers, but mobile expansion is clearly the next frontier.
This move also reflects a broader trend in tech. The idea of agentic browsers is picking up steam. OpenAI is reportedly working on a similar browser that can automate everything from travel bookings to managing finances. As the line between assistant and browser blurs, Perplexity wants to be the one leading that change on your smartphone screen.
Statcounter data from last month shows that Chrome holds about 70 percent of the mobile browser market, while Safari and Samsung Internet command another 24 percent combined. That leaves very little room for new players, but Perplexity seems ready to challenge that dominance head-on. According to earlier reports, the startup has already been in discussions with major players like Samsung and Apple to potentially integrate its search and AI features into their platforms, which could elevate the experience of assistants like Bixby or Siri.
Fueling these ambitions is a massive funding round completed earlier this year. Perplexity secured 500 million dollars in investments, bringing its valuation to 14 billion dollars. With names like Nvidia, Accel, Eric Schmidt, and Jeff Bezos backing it, the startup has both the funding and the firepower to go big.
The mobile browser war has been quiet for years, with few serious contenders emerging. But Comet is not trying to be just another browser. It is trying to redefine what a browser can be. And if it lands a deal to come pre-installed on millions of smartphones, it might just succeed.
