Perplexity and OpenAI's AI Browsers Take on Google

Imagine your browser not only browsing the web, but also answering questions about your emails, scheduling meetings, or summarizing pages—all thanks to artificial intelligence. That is exactly the future promised by new developments from Perplexity AI and OpenAI, which are preparing to challenge Google Chrome's dominant position. Based on recent reports from Reuters and PYMNTS, these companies are focusing on integrating artificial intelligence directly into browsers, not only on computers but also on smartphones. Let's take a step-by-step look at how this is happening, with details directly from these sources. It is like a clash of titans over how we will browse the internet in the future—all with user convenience in mind.

Perplexity AI and Its Ambitious Comet

Perplexity AI, a startup backed by Nvidia, is trying to put its new Comet browser directly into the hands of millions of users. According to a Reuters report from July 19, 2025, the company is in talks with mobile device manufacturers about preinstalling Comet on smartphones. CEO Aravind Srinivas admitted in an interview with Reuters that it is not easy—convincing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to replace the default Chrome browser with Comet is a challenge due to user inertia. Nevertheless, Perplexity is targeting "tens to hundreds of millions" of users over the next year, Srinivas said.

Comet is currently in beta and available only on desktop, but its strength lies in integrating artificial intelligence directly into the browsing experience. Users can ask questions about their personal data, such as emails, calendars, or browsing history, and the browser can perform tasks such as scheduling meetings or summarizing web pages. This approach reflects a broader trend toward browsers with agentic AI capabilities that require minimal human intervention to make decisions and complete tasks. According to a PYMNTS report from July 20, 2025, Perplexity plans to stabilize the desktop version for several hundred thousand testers and then expand to mobile devices, where Comet could benefit from "stickiness"—users' tendency to remain with preinstalled apps.

The company has strong backing: it completed a $500 million funding round that valued it at $14 billion. Its investors include Accel, Nvidia, Jeff Bezos, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In addition, as Bloomberg News reported in June, Perplexity held talks with Samsung Electronics and Apple about integrating its artificial intelligence capabilities into devices, which could enhance assistants such as Bixby or Siri.

OpenAI Is Preparing Its Own Browser to Challenge Chrome

Perplexity is not the only company preparing to disrupt the market; OpenAI is doing so as well. According to an exclusive Reuters report from July 10, 2025, OpenAI is close to releasing its own AI-powered web browser, which will directly challenge Google Chrome. The browser, expected to launch in the coming weeks, will feature a ChatGPT-like chat interface and enable the integration of AI agents. The goal is to change how people browse the web—some interactions will remain within the native chat instead of requiring users to click through to websites, potentially automating complex tasks such as booking travel or managing finances.

OpenAI, led by entrepreneur Sam Altman, is thus intensifying its competition with Google in the artificial intelligence race. The browser is part of a strategy to collect data about users' online behavior, which would give OpenAI direct access to what is key to Google's success: user data. The browser is built on the open-source Chromium codebase, which is also used by Chrome, and will enable the integration of products such as Operator, which performs tasks for users directly on websites.

In May, OpenAI entered the hardware world by acquiring io, a startup founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, for $6.5 billion. This suggests that the browser could be an ideal platform for AI agents that could reserve tables or fill out forms. OpenAI already has 3 million paying business users for ChatGPT and 500 million weekly active users, which could quickly propel the new browser to the forefront.

Chrome's Dominance and Challenges for Competitors

This battle is taking place in a market dominated by Google Chrome. According to Statcounter data from last month, Chrome has a share of around 70% on mobile devices, while Apple's Safari and Samsung's browser together control another 24%. OpenAI and Perplexity therefore face enormous competition—Chrome is a key pillar of Alphabet's advertising business, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of its revenue, because it provides data for ad targeting and directs searches to its own search engine.

Perplexity is not alone: It launched Comet on July 9, 2025, and the browser can perform actions on behalf of users. Other startups, such as The Browser Company and Brave, offer similar browsers capable of browsing and summarizing the internet. OpenAI chose to build its own browser instead of a plugin to gain greater control over data. Last year, it hired two longtime Google vice presidents who had helped develop Chrome, and in April it testified that it would be interested in buying Chrome if antitrust authorities forced its sale.

What Does This Mean for Users?

These developments indicate a shift toward browsers in which artificial intelligence takes on more decisions and tasks with minimal human intervention. Perplexity is targeting expansion in 2026 after stabilizing the desktop version, while OpenAI plans to launch soon. For users, this means more convenient browsing—questions about personal data, automatic summaries, or scheduling directly within the browser. At the same time, however, it increases pressure on Google, whose Chrome browser could lose market share if these innovations catch on.

It is fascinating to watch how these companies inspire one another: Reuters mentions that OpenAI is developing an agentic browser, reflecting Perplexity's efforts. If Perplexity manages to reach agreements with manufacturers such as Samsung or Apple, it could dramatically change how we use mobile devices.