Perplexity AI Debuts Comet Browser Worldwide

Perplexity AI, the generative search startup challenging Google's dominance, has made a decisive move by rolling out its Comet web browser free to users worldwide. This aggressive strategy aims to rapidly onboard millions of users into the "agent-first" era of computing, reinforcing the vision of CEO Aravind Srinivas, whose bold bet on AI search has already resulted in a fortune worth over ₹21,190 crore (approximately $2.5 billion) at just 31 years old.

Aravind Srinivas's foundation in artificial intelligence is formidable. After attending IIT Madras, he pursued graduate studies at Stanford University, specializing in deep learning and natural language processing. His AI expertise was honed through hands-on research at elite labs including OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic before he co-founded Perplexity in 2022.

Srinivas’s vision is simple: to build a "search index for AI," where conversational agents deliver accurate, cited, real-time answers instead of merely a list of links. This approach propelled Perplexity to rapid success and a skyrocketing valuation, earning Srinivas his billionaire status. Beyond personal wealth, he champions a cultural shift, aspiring to inspire Indian entrepreneurs to build global companies at scale, not just manage them.

The Comet browser is integral to Perplexity's agentic future. Designed to act as a personal assistant, Comet can search the web, organize tabs, draft emails, and handle complex tasks autonomously.

Initially launched in July as an exclusive feature for $200-a-month Max subscribers, the free global rollout marks a significant shift. By dropping the price, Perplexity is leveraging the massive demand—which had generated a waitlist of millions—to rapidly grow its user base and challenge established rivals.

The competitive landscape is heating up:

•          Google integrated Gemini into its Chrome browser.

•          Anthropic announced a browser-based AI agent.

•          OpenAI unveiled its own browser agent, Operator, in January.

Perplexity's strategy is clear: commoditize the browser interface to make its core AI index the true proprietary moat.

Monetization and Publisher Partnerships:

To ensure sustainability, Perplexity continues to build out its monetization and trust models:

•          The company previously launched a revenue-sharing model with publishers following accusations of content plagiarism.

•          It recently introduced Comet Plus, a subscription offering access to content from "trusted publishers and journalists." Inaugural partners include major outlets like CNN, Condé Nast, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times.

Additional features, including a mobile version of Comet and a Background Assistant that can execute multiple tasks asynchronously, are also in development.

For Srinivas, India is not merely a market; it is the proving ground for building a truly global AI powerhouse. His focus on the subcontinent is driven by several key strategic factors:

1.         Massive English User Base: India’s immense English-speaking population provides an ideal environment for training and adopting Perplexity’s "search index for AI" at scale.

2.         Proven Product–Market Fit: The successful partnership with Airtel instantly propelled the app to the #1 spot on India’s iOS App Store, demonstrating strong demand and user retention.

3.         Deep Talent Pool: India offers exceptional backend and infrastructure engineering expertise. Perplexity is currently weighing establishing a major engineering hub in Bengaluru or Hyderabad, alongside a policy presence in Delhi.

4.         Policy and Infrastructure Advocacy: Srinivas actively advocates for the Indian government to invest in GPU clusters and establish a sovereign AI fund, which would fuel world-class domestic research and startup growth.

Ultimately, by leveraging India's scale, talent, and strategic partnerships across sectors like travel and education, Perplexity aims to build a global, agent-first AI search system while advancing the powerful narrative that world-class, billion-dollar IP can be built from India.