Perplexity AI in Talks to Pre-Install Comet Browser on Smartphones, Challenging Google's Dominance

Perplexity in talks with phone makers to pre-install Comet AI mobile browser on devices

July 18 (Reuters) - Nvidia-backed Perplexity AI, the startup challenging Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab with its AI-powered search engine, is in discussions with mobile device makers to pre-install its new Comet browser on smartphones, CEO Aravind Srinivas told Reuters on Friday. The move could significantly boost Perplexity's reach by capitalizing on browser "stickiness", where users tend to stick with browser apps that are pre-installed or set as default on their devices, potentially driving habitual use of the company's AI tools. "It's not easy to convince mobile OEMs to change the default browser to Comet from Chrome," Srinivas said, referring to original equipment manufacturers and highlighting the challenge of user inertia on mobile platforms. Comet, currently in beta and available only on desktops, integrates Perplexity's AI directly into web browsing, allowing users to ask questions about personal data like emails, calendars, or browsing history, and even perform tasks such as scheduling meetings or summarizing webpages. Perplexity aims to target "tens to hundreds of millions" of users next year after stabilizing the desktop version for a few hundred thousand initial testers, Srinivas said. Its efforts reflect a broader industry shift toward browsers with agentic AI capabilities, ones that need minimal human intervention to make decisions and achieve specific tasks. Reuters reported earlier this month that OpenAI is developing its own agentic AI browser, which could automate complex tasks such as booking travel or managing finances. As of last month, Google's Chrome had a market share of about 70% in mobile devices, while Apple's Safari and Samsung's browsers together commanding another 24%, according to Statcounter data. Bloomberg News reported in June that Perplexity was in talks with Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), opens new tab and Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab to integrate its AI search capabilities into their devices, potentially enhancing assistants like Bixby or Siri. Perplexity has completed a $500 million investment round, which valued it at $14 billion earlier this year. Its investors include Accel, Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab, Jeff Bezos and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence Akash Sriram Thomson Reuters Akash reports on technology companies in the United States, electric vehicle companies, and the space industry. His reporting usually appears in the Autos & Transportation and Technology sections. He has a postgraduate degree in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds. Akash's interests include music, football (soccer), and Formula 1.

Perplexity in talks with phone makers to pre-install Comet AI mobile browser on devices - The Economic Times

Nvidia-backed Perplexity AI, the startup challenging Google with its AI-powered search engine, is in discussions with mobile device makers to pre-install its new Comet browser on smartphones, CEO Aravind Srinivas told Reuters on Friday. The move could significantly boost Perplexity's reach by capitalizing on browser "stickiness", where users tend to stick with browser apps that are pre-installed or set as default on their devices, potentially driving habitual use of the company's AI tools. "It's not easy to convince mobile OEMs to change the default browser to Comet from Chrome," Srinivas said, referring to original equipment manufacturers and highlighting the challenge of user inertia on mobile platforms. Comet, currently in beta and available only on desktops, integrates Perplexity's AI directly into web browsing, allowing users to ask questions about personal data like emails, calendars, or browsing history, and even perform tasks such as scheduling meetings or summarizing webpages. Perplexity aims to target "tens to hundreds of millions" of users next year after stabilizing the desktop version for a few hundred thousand initial testers, Srinivas said. Its efforts reflect a broader industry shift toward browsers with agentic AI capabilities, ones that need minimal human intervention to make decisions and achieve specific tasks. Reuters reported earlier this month that OpenAI is developing its own agentic AI browser, which could automate complex tasks such as booking travel or managing finances. As of last month, Google's Chrome had a market share of about 70% in mobile devices, while Apple's Safari and Samsung's browsers together commanding another 24%, according to Statcounter data. Bloomberg News reported in June that Perplexity was in talks with Samsung Electronics and Apple to integrate its AI search capabilities into their devices, potentially enhancing assistants like Bixby or Siri. Perplexity has completed a $500 million investment round, which valued it at $14 billion earlier this year. Its investors include Accel, Nvidia, Jeff Bezos and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

Perplexity In Talks With Smartphone Makers To Pre-Install Comet Browser, Aiming To Boost Adoption Of Its AI Search Tool And Compete Directly With Google

Companies are increasingly looking for ways to establish themselves in the AI domain and offer capabilities and features either matched up to the competition or better to stand out for innovating when it comes to the technology. Perplexity AI is a Nvidia-backed start-up that is looking for ways now to build a strong foothold in the mobile market by partnering up with smartphone manufacturers. This is to compete with Google's search engine by attempting to make its AI-powered search features more accessible to users. To do so, the company's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, is in talks with phone makers about having Comet, its browser, pre-installed on mobile devices. While Google's position predominantly as the go-to search engine remains unbeaten, even when OpenAI and others are working on their own engines, the tech giant has established itself widely and firmly in the market. Perplexity AI, however, intends to challenge this with its new Comet browser. As per Yahoo Finance, CEO Aravind Srinivas is in talks with smartphone makers about having Comet pre-installed on their devices. By doing so, Srinivas aims to take advantage of browser stickiness, a concept where users tend to stick more to the browser that comes pre-installed. This would help the company gain traction by applying the same technique that Google relies on. While talking about its plan and the ongoing efforts, Srinivas did not keep away from sharing the challenges faced in making companies opt for Comet instead of Chrome, especially given how long the search engine has been around. He further emphasized how user inertia, the tendency to rely on the pre-installed apps, makes this process even more formidable. He stated: It's not easy to convince mobile OEMs to change the default browser to Comet from Chrome. While Comet is currently in its beta phase and is available on desktop, it seamlessly blends Perplexity AI into the web browsing experience. It allows users to interact with their personal data by asking questions or even giving commands. The browser can also summarize web pages for its users, set meetings on the user's behalf, and become more of a personalized assistant. Comet aims to redefine how users interact with the web and streamline their everyday tasks. Perplexity has an ambitious approach to Comet and plans to reach tens to hundreds of millions of users by next year. The AI startup is not the only one aiming to grow in the category, as we see a broader push industry-wide for agentic AI browsers, which require little human intervention for carrying out tasks.

Perplexity AI Targets Google Chrome's Stronghold With Smartphone Pre-Install Strategy: Report - NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

Perplexity AI, backed by Nvidia Corp. NVDA is negotiating with mobile manufacturers to pre-install its Comet browser on smartphones. What Happened: This move aims to expand Perplexity's user base by leveraging the tendency of users to stick with pre-installed browsers, according to a Reuters report. CEO Aravind Srinivas, during a conversation with Reuters, highlighted the challenge of persuading original equipment manufacturers to switch from default browsers like Chrome to Comet. Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox. Currently in beta for desktops, Comet integrates Perplexity's AI, enabling users to interact with personal data and perform tasks like scheduling meetings. Perplexity plans to target millions of users in the coming year after stabilizing the desktop version. OpenAI is also developing an AI browser capable of automating complex tasks. See Also: As Trump Axes EV Incentives, Elon Musk's Tesla Announces New Offers Amid Sluggish US Sales As of last month, Google's Chrome held a 70% market share in mobile browsers, with Apple's Safari and Samsung's browsers together holding 24%, according to StatCounter. In June, a Bloomberg News report revealed that Perplexity was in discussions with Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc. to integrate its AI search features into their devices, potentially enhancing assistants like Bixby and Siri. Why It Matters: The development of the Comet browser by Perplexity AI comes after Google rejected its request to become a default search engine option on Chrome "a long time ago." This rejection prompted Perplexity to create its own browser, as stated by CEO Aravind Srinivas. In addition, Apple has shown interest in acquiring Perplexity AI, indicating the company's growing influence in the tech industry. This interest was reportedly discussed internally among Apple's senior leaders. Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: Amazon Ring Is Making AI A Job Requirement -- Starting With Promotions Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock NVDANVIDIA Corp$172.36-0.37%Stock Score Locked: Edge Members Only Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Unlock RankingsEdge RankingsMomentum87.29Growth98.63QualityN/AValue6.24Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Perplexity in talks with phone makers to pre-install Comet AI mobile browser on devices

(Reuters) -Nvidia-backed Perplexity AI, the startup challenging Google with its AI-powered search engine, is in discussions with mobile device makers to pre-install its new Comet browser on smartphones, CEO Aravind Srinivas told Reuters on Friday. The move could significantly boost Perplexity's reach by capitalizing on browser "stickiness", where users tend to stick with browser apps that are pre-installed or set as default on their devices, potentially driving habitual use of the company's AI tools. "It's not easy to convince mobile OEMs to change the default browser to Comet from Chrome," Srinivas said, referring to original equipment manufacturers and highlighting the challenge of user inertia on mobile platforms. Comet, currently in beta and available only on desktops, integrates Perplexity's AI directly into web browsing, allowing users to ask questions about personal data like emails, calendars, or browsing history, and even perform tasks such as scheduling meetings or summarizing webpages. Perplexity aims to target "tens to hundreds of millions" of users next year after stabilizing the desktop version for a few hundred thousand initial testers, Srinivas said. Its efforts reflect a broader industry shift toward browsers with agentic AI capabilities, ones that need minimal human intervention to make decisions and achieve specific tasks. Reuters reported earlier this month that OpenAI is developing its own agentic AI browser, which could automate complex tasks such as booking travel or managing finances. As of last month, Google's Chrome had a market share of about 70% in mobile devices, while Apple's Safari and Samsung's browsers together commanding another 24%, according to Statcounter data. Bloomberg News reported in June that Perplexity was in talks with Samsung Electronics and Apple to integrate its AI search capabilities into their devices, potentially enhancing assistants like Bixby or Siri. Perplexity has completed a $500 million investment round, which valued it at $14 billion earlier this year. Its investors include Accel, Nvidia, Jeff Bezos and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)