PERPLEXITY
Google’s grip on your phone is loosening
Perplexity AI, the Nvidia-backed startup trying to take on Google Search, is now in talks with phone makers to get its new browser, Comet, pre-installed on smartphones.
Right now, Comet is in beta and only available on desktop, but it already combines search with AI tools, so users can ask questions about their emails, calendars or browsing history, summarise pages, or even schedule meetings.
Getting mobile makers to swap out default browsers like Chrome isn’t easy, though.
People tend to stick with whatever comes built-in.
Still, CEO Aravind Srinivas thinks getting Comet onto phones could help Perplexity scale fast once the mobile version is ready.
Quick points:
Comet uses AI to help with personal tasks like scheduling and summarising.
Perplexity is in talks with Samsung and Apple about building its AI into their devices.
The startup is valued at $14B and aiming for mass rollout in 2025.
Let it do the boring stuff
This all ties into a bigger trend: AI-powered browsers that can carry out tasks on their own, without much input.
OpenAI is reportedly building one too, designed to do things like book trips or manage money.
Google Chrome still dominates mobile with around 70% market share, followed by Safari and Samsung’s browser at 24%, but Perplexity is hoping its AI-first approach will give it a shot.
The company recently raised $500 million, bringing its valuation to $14 billion. Its investors include Nvidia, Jeff Bezos, Accel, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
I will absolutely ghost Chrome if this works, btw.