OpenAI and Perplexity Are Coming for Google’s Crown And They’re Bringing AI Browsers With Them
The search game is officially getting spicy.
While Google juggles lawsuits and billion-euro fines across the globe, AI titans OpenAI and Perplexity are quietly (well, not that quietly) launching new web browsers built around artificial intelligence and they’re not messing around.
Meet Comet: Perplexity’s Sleek New AI Browser
On Wednesday, Perplexity officially pulled the curtain on Comet, its brand-new AI-powered search engine/browser hybrid. It’s designed to sidestep traditional browsers like Chrome or Safari, and for now, it’s only available to Perplexity Max subscribers and a select few invitees.
So, what makes Comet so different? Imagine typing in a search request like “make me a shopping list for pasta and curry”, and not only does it fetch the recipes, it compiles a list, links you to a grocery site, and even builds a step-by-step cooking guide. Oh, and it clicks, types, autofills forms, and can even manage your email and calendar. That’s not a browser. That’s a personal assistant with a search bar.
What About OpenAI?
Details are still under wraps, but insiders told Reuters that OpenAI is also cooking up its own AI browser. The twist? Instead of linking users out to a million blue links, the browser will reportedly keep all user interactions inside ChatGPT. No need to wander around the internet, your AI handles it all.
It’s part of OpenAI’s wider goal to weave ChatGPT into both your personal and work life, turning the browser into more of a digital workspace hub than a search tool.
Why Now? Because Google’s Wobbling
Google’s grip on search has looked invincible for years, Chrome alone commands a 68.4% market share globally, according to StatCounter. But lately, it’s been raining lawsuits.
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The EU is still after Google for anti-competitive practices. Just last week, an advocate general recommended upholding a €4.1 billion fine.
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A new publisher-led antitrust case in the EU accuses Google’s AI-generated search overviews of siphoning traffic and revenue.
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In the US, a judge ruled in 2024 that Google illegally monopolized search by locking up default browser agreements.
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And let’s not forget similar probes in the UK, Canada, and Japan.
The Bottom Line?
Google’s throne isn’t empty, but it’s wobbling. And OpenAI and Perplexity are circling like hawks, armed with AI-first browsers that could reshape how we search, shop, read, and work online.
Search might be changing forever. And it may no longer start with a Google.
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