Nvidia‑backed AI startup Perplexity is in advanced discussions with leading mobile device manufacturers, including Samsung and Apple, to pre‑install its AI‑powered Comet browser on smartphones, CEO Aravind Srinivas told Reuters.
The move aims to break the “stickiness” of entrenched defaults such as Google Chrome and Apple Safari, a critical step in scaling Comet’s user base beyond its current desktop beta.
Perplexity’s Comet
Comet differentiates itself by embedding “agentic AI” directly into the browsing experience. Users can query their own email, calendar and browsing history through a chat‑style interface, delegate tasks such as scheduling meetings or summarising articles, and receive AI‑generated responses in real time.
Srinivas said Perplexity plans to stabilise Comet for a few hundred thousand desktop testers before rolling out to “tens or even hundreds of millions” of mobile users next year.
Securing pre‑installation deals with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) could be Perplexity’s “game‑changer,” Srinivas added. While Chrome commands roughly 70% of the mobile‑browser market, followed by Safari and Samsung’s native browser at 24% per Statcounter, Comet’s AI capabilities offer smartphone makers a way to differentiate their devices, especially as consumers seek more intuitive, task‑automating tools.
Nvidia Backs Perplexity
Perplexity’s $500 million funding round earlier this year, led by Nvidia and Accel and featuring investors such as Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt, underscores investor confidence in the startup’s vision.
The capital will fuel product development, expand Comet’s feature set, and underwrite the company’s ambitions to challenge tech giants’ dominance over how people access information online.
The push towards agentic AI browsers reflects a broader industry trend. Reuters has reported that OpenAI is also developing a Chromium‑based, ChatGPT‑integrated browser designed to automate complex, multi‑step tasks like travel planning and finance management.
These developments mark a shift away from traditional search interfaces towards browsers that act more like personal assistants, anticipating user needs and executing tasks with minimal input.
Perplexity’s discussions with Samsung and Apple, if successful, could accelerate this paradigm shift. By embedding Comet as the default browser, OEMs would grant the startup immediate access to a massive user base, while Perplexity’s AI engine would gain permission to operate seamlessly across device ecosystems.
