Perplexity Comet AI Browser Now Free Globally, Adds Powerful Assistant Tools
Perplexity Comet AI Browser Now Free Globally, Adds Powerful Assistant Tools
AI search startup Perplexity has announced the global, free release of its innovative Comet AI-powered web browser. Previously exclusive to premium subscribers, Comet is now available to all users as Perplexity sets its sights on competing with established browsers and next-generation AI-first platforms.
What Makes Comet Stand Out?
Comet offers a unique sidecar assistant that actively supports users while browsing. This assistant can:
- Answer questions about the web page you’re viewing
- Summarize online content for faster understanding
- Help manage and organize web resources
- Navigate and interact with web pages on your behalf
These features are designed to boost productivity and streamline how users interact with the internet, setting Comet apart from traditional browsers.
Free and Paid Features: What’s Included?
All users get access to Comet’s sidecar assistant, with additional tools available for more specialized needs, including:
- Discover: Personalized news and content recommendations
- Spaces: Project and content management
- Shopping: Price comparisons and deal finding
- Travel: Aggregated travel information
- Finance: Budgeting, expense tracking, and investment monitoring
- Sports: Real-time updates on scores and schedules
For users seeking advanced capabilities, Perplexity offers:
- Max Plan: Access to top-tier AI models, an email assistant for drafting and organizing messages, calendar management, and priority support
- Pro Plan: Enhanced AI features, including image/video generation and file analysis
- Comet Plus (coming soon): A $5/month subscription for an AI-enhanced news experience, also bundled for Pro and Max users
Introducing the Background Assistant
A major new addition is the background assistant, now available for Max users. This tool acts like a team of AI-powered helpers, managed from a central "mission control" dashboard. Users can assign multiple tasks—such as sending emails, shopping for event tickets, or searching for the best travel options—and the assistant will work on these in the background, providing progress updates and notifications when tasks are completed.
Thanks to improved app connectors, the background assistant can interact with other applications on your computer, offering a seamless multitasking experience. This innovation aims to deliver meaningful productivity gains and differentiate Perplexity from both established and emerging competitors in the AI browser space.
Why This Matters
The launch of Comet comes at a time when the browser market is heating up with AI-driven competition, including new offerings from OpenAI and The Browser Company. Perplexity’s strategy is to prove that agentic AI features can deliver real-world value—making internet browsing smarter, faster, and more interactive.
Looking Ahead
As Perplexity opens Comet to all users, the challenge will be to demonstrate the reliability and usefulness of its AI capabilities. For business owners and tech-forward professionals, Comet’s evolving toolset could offer a compelling edge in everyday web tasks and research.
