Perplexity AI, the rising search engine startup backed by Nvidia, is quietly taking big steps to compete with Google. According to a new report by Reuters, the company is now in talks with mobile manufacturers to pre-install its new Comet browser on smartphones.
CEO Aravind Srinivas confirmed the move, saying it could help Perplexity AI reach a much larger audience. The idea is to take advantage of what’s known as browser stickiness — the fact that most people tend to keep using whatever browser comes already installed on their phone.
Comet Browser Could Be the Next Big Thing
The Comet browser, still in beta and currently only available on desktops, is different from the rest. It has Perplexity’s AI built right into it. That means users can do much more than just search the web — they can ask the browser to check their emails, access their calendars, look through their browsing history, summarise webpages, or even schedule meetings. It’s designed to act like a smart assistant inside your browser.
Right now, the company is focused on making sure the desktop version is stable for its early users. But if all goes well, Perplexity plans to scale up and reach tens to hundreds of millions of users next year.
AI Browsers Are the Future
This move is part of a larger trend in tech: browsers that come with agentic AI — intelligent systems that can make decisions or take action on your behalf. These tools require minimal input from users and can handle tasks like travel bookings or even managing finances.
OpenAI is reportedly working on its own AI-powered browser as well. According to Reuters, OpenAI’s version could handle complicated tasks entirely on its own — something that would directly compete with Perplexity’s vision.
Taking on Chrome, Safari, and Samsung
It won’t be easy, though. Google Chrome currently dominates the mobile browser market, with around 70% market share, while Apple’s Safari and Samsung’s browser take up another 24%, according to Statcounter data.
But Perplexity AI is aiming high. According to Bloomberg, the company is also in discussions with Apple and Samsung Electronics to bring its AI search capabilities to their devices — potentially upgrading assistants like Siri and Bixby.
Interestingly, some internal reports suggest that Apple even considered buying Perplexity at one point, showing how seriously the tech world is taking this AI-powered challenger.
Backed by Big Names and Big Money
To support all this, Perplexity AI has strong financial backing. Earlier this year, it completed a $500 million investment round, valuing the company at a massive $14 billion. The startup is funded by big-name investors including Accel, Nvidia, Jeff Bezos, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
With smart AI tools, a powerful new browser, and industry support, Perplexity AI might just become the next major player in how we browse the web.
