Perplexity’s Comet AI browser now free; Max users get new 'background assistant' | TechCrunch
Key Takeaways
- Perplexity has made its AI-powered Comet browser available globally for free to increase market competition.
- The core feature of Comet is a sidecar assistant that helps users browse, summarize content, and navigate the web.
- A new 'background assistant' feature has been launched exclusively for paid Max subscribers, capable of performing multiple tasks simultaneously across different applications.
- This move positions Perplexity against major incumbents like Google Chrome and other AI browser newcomers.
- Perplexity is also introducing Comet Plus, a forthcoming $5/month subscription for an AI-enhanced news experience, which is included for Pro and Max users.
AI search startup Perplexity has made its Comet browser universally available for free in an aggressive push to challenge established giants like Google Chrome and new AI browser entrants. Initially launched only to its high-tier Max subscribers, the browser has garnered significant interest, evidenced by millions signing up for the waitlist. Comet's primary function is its sidecar assistant, which aids users by answering questions, summarizing content, and managing web interactions. The company is facing intense competition, necessitating that Comet reliably demonstrates tangible productivity gains to encourage user migration from existing browsers. For its premium Max subscribers, Perplexity introduced a powerful new 'background assistant' that can execute complex, multi-step tasks across various applications autonomously, managed via a central dashboard. Additionally, Perplexity is introducing Comet Plus for $5/month as an AI-enhanced alternative to Apple News, which will be bundled for Pro and Max users.
