Perplexity Comet Browser Tracks Users Like Google AI Assistant

If you asked me five years ago whether we’d see a serious challenger to Google’s dominance in how we navigate the internet, I would’ve probably just given you a knowing look and gone back to playing with my tabs in Chrome. But here we are in 2025, and there’s a new kid on the block—Perplexity’s Comet Browser. Built with big aspirations, it promises to be not just your window to the web, but your digital right hand—an AI-powered companion that’s willing to roll up its sleeves and get real work done for you. It’s got enough ambition to make even the most jaded tech commentator sit up and crank an eyebrow.

But—there’s always a “but”—it has also set off a whole kettle of fish when it comes to privacy, data tracking, and exactly what it means to have an AI “assistant” lurking behind every click. I’ve spent weeks getting stuck into what makes Comet tick, and let me tell you: the implications are as exciting as they are complicated.

What Is Perplexity Comet Browser?

First off, Comet isn’t just another Chrome knockoff. It’s built on the sturdy bones of Chromium, so anyone used to Chrome or other modern browsers will find it comfortably familiar—think bookmarks, extensions, and password managers all transferring over without fuss. My own migration from Firefox was smoother than a cup of strong Yorkshire tea.

But what sets Comet apart is what’s humming under the bonnet. Instead of just showing you search results or web pages, this browser wants to actively handle your internet legwork—scheduling meetings, summarizing dense documents, answering YouTube queries, and even firing off emails on your behalf. The Comet Assistant, as they’ve dubbed it, is the browser’s AI soul: ready to analyze real-time content, dig up facts, and carry out actions across the web.

The Next Leap Beyond Google

Native AI Assistant: Embedded directly in the browser, “Comet Assistant” interprets and executes natural language prompts.
Multi-Platform Support: Runs on Windows and macOS, with Chrome extension compatibility and a mobile version (still in development).
Automated Task Execution: Finds products, plans trips, manages calendars, and even sends messages—all based on your instructions.
Real-Time Data Synthesis: Analyses open tabs, Reddit posts, news feeds, or videos, offering instant summaries and actionable insights.

It all sounds a bit like having a very attentive (and slightly nosey) digital butler. One who’s always *one step ahead*, barely pausing for breath and—crucially—never forgetting anything you’ve ever asked.

Perplexity Comet and the Art of User Tracking

Here’s where things get both clever and controversial. Comet is unapologetic about tracking your activity. The company’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has said out loud what others skirt around: Comet monitors user behaviour across the web, using it to deliver highly targeted, “hyper-personalised” experiences and advertisements.

In the tech world, pretending not to track users is standard theatre. Comet cuts through the pretense, making it clear: if you want smart, AI-powered browsing, there’s a price tag, and that price is data—not just your queries, but potentially every action online.

What Does Comet Track?

Web Navigation: Pages visited and time spent.
Search Queries: All search inputs (locally processed unless explicitly shared).
User Interactions: Actions taken within extensions, e-mails sent, documents summarised.
Pattern Recognition: Preferences and routines, potentially spanning across work, shopping, travel planning, and content consumption.

Unlike its established rivals, Comet claims it stores a lot of this information locally, refraining from using browsing history to train AI models or shipping your private data off to shadowy third parties. Still, if there’s one lesson the past decade has taught us, it’s that “local first” doesn’t always mean “private by default.” // Keep your eyes peeled, folks.

AI in the Browser: Revolution or Risk?

Having spent a fair chunk of time with Comet, I felt torn between fascination and caution. There’s something undeniably handy about offloading tedious web chores to an AI companion, especially when it can digest a dozen news stories, stitch together a travel plan, and ping it all to my calendar—all before I’ve made my morning cuppa.

But the more I let Comet do “for me,” the more it started to “learn about me.” This is the classic AI proposition: the better it gets at helping, the more you reveal—sometimes without noticing.

The User Experience: Like Having an Intern on Speed Dial

Prompt-Based Actions: Just tell Comet what you want—no need to manually click through tabs, forms, or comparison sites.
Integrated Context: The AI cross-references your calendar, email threads, browsing sessions, and social feeds for a genuinely joined-up experience.
Automatic Summaries: Comet condenses articles, forum debates, and reports to digestible briefs, cutting down reading time drastically.
Hands-Off Delegation: Planning logistics, managing bookings, and tracking deliveries without even breaking a sweat (unless the AI goes rogue, in which case—may the odds be ever in your favour).

Putting my own hat in the ring, I found myself both impressed and slightly on edge. Letting a browser juggle my work and play was liberating but also left me wondering where the line between “assistant” and “overseer” should lie.

Business Model: Privacy, Exclusivity, and Price Tags

One thing that jumped out at me right away is the exclusivity of Perplexity’s approach. Comet isn’t for everyone—not yet, at least. As of July 2025, it’s behind a pretty hefty paywall—a $200 monthly subscription, unless you manage to score an invite from their waiting list.

That eye-watering fee stings, but there’s method in the madness. Perplexity is aiming to create a premium crowd of early adopters: people who tolerate complexity, want to experiment, and won’t mind being guinea pigs while the rest of us watch from the sidelines and wait for the free version to drop.

Monthly Subscription (Perplexity Max): $200 per month, offering full access to all features.
Invite System: Limited availability for those on the waiting list.
Plans for Wider Release: A free public version is in the works, but early adopters are buyers in the literal sense.

In my view, this strategy keeps the scale small, the feedback personal, and the risks manageable. But it raises the bar to entry—committing to Comet now says as much about your trust in new tech as about your willingness to, well, open your wallet.

Privacy: The Elephant in the Room

Every time a new AI-powered tool rolls out, I feel an almost Pavlovian twitch—what about my data, right? Perplexity’s pitch is a tad more reassuring than the norm: they say they store browsing data locally and don’t use it to train AI or flog it to advertising firms. This local-first approach certainly sounds promising, and the official messaging ticks every GDPR and privacy-by-design box you can throw a clipboard at.

But—and here’s the rub—the concept of a browser that tracks behaviour, even if only to “serve you hyper-personalisation,” lands squarely in a grey zone between helpfulness and surveillance. Many of us have switched away from Google or Facebook because of data anxiety; hearing that Comet bakes tracking into its DNA means you need to trust them a great deal, or at least keep your wits about you.

Data Storage: User behaviour and histories are stored locally (not on Perplexity’s remote servers).
Data Use: Ostensibly, no use for AI model training or external sharing. This should—emphasis on should—reduce risk exposure.
Transparency: Perplexity states its policies clearly (and publicly), which is more than can be said for some rivals.
AI Delegation: Any instruction handled by the browser crosses the privacy rubicon—those with sensitive workloads might want to tread carefully.

Honestly? The proof will be in the pudding. I’ve seen enough tech hype die on the rocks of privacy backlash to know that user trust, once lost, is hard to claw back. At least Comet appears to be laying its cards on the table—though I’d still advise your average business professional to be judicious with info shared with any AI tool, browser or not.

How Will Comet Change Marketing and Sales Automation?

Now, let’s look at the meat and potatoes—how Comet threatens to upend digital marketing and sales support, especially if you’re an automation geek like me. If Comet takes off, you’d better believe the entire marketing funnel will need a rethink.

Hyper-Personalisation and Ad Targeting

Bespoke Offers: Comet’s user tracking opens the door to ad targeting so tight it could make a bacterium blush—every banner, offer, or product placement can be tailored to your real-time interests and browsing context.
Contextual Promotion: Rather than just demographic-based guessing, offers could actually reflect your ongoing searches, intentions, and even subtle browsing signals.
Predictive Nudging: With AI crunching data locally, your browser could anticipate needs (“Looks like you’re planning a holiday—here’s a flight you’ll like”) before you explicitly ask.

That’s the marketer’s dream, right? But if you care about privacy optics, it’s a double-edged sword—side-eyeing Facebook’s history of overreaching, it’s obvious user backlash could be swift.

AI-Powered Sales Support

Intelligent Lead Nurturing: AI agents could proactively shepherd prospects through the sales journey without waiting for manual interventions.
Automated Admin: No more time-sink CRM updates or pipeline nudging—the browser can fill in, follow up, and even close the loop, freeing human sales talent for trickier touchpoints.
Real-Time Analytics: Marketers and sellers get feedback on what’s working, not just in aggregate, but per user, per session, per intent.

For businesses running automations on platforms like make.com or n8n, Comet’s API potential is mouthwatering. Imagine feeding browser behaviour straight into pipeline triggers and responsive campaigns—no more guesswork, just pure, data-driven orchestration. But, again, you need explicit opt-in and bulletproof compliance if you want to play in this sandbox.

The Early User Perspective: Triumphs and Tribulations

Since I managed to swing an invite to the Max programme, I figured I’d share a few candid impressions:

Setup and Import: Migrating my digital life over was quicker than expected. Extensions didn’t throw a wobbly, and saved passwords slotted into place.
Performance: The AI assistant isn’t just a tack-on—it genuinely speeds up research, scheduling, and multitasking. Where I used to spend an hour cross-referencing five news outlets, now it takes five minutes.
Learning Curve: Natural language commands are a doddle, but getting the most out of custom automations took a fair bit of poking and prodding.
Quirks: The ever-listening AI sometimes pings unhelpful suggestions—“Are you sure you want to schedule another 8am meeting?”—and it isn’t yet perfect at deciphering complex queries. Still, I’ve had worse from Siri on a Monday morning.

After a fortnight, the biggest shift wasn’t just in my workflow—it was in how much trust I was forced to place in the digital go-between. That’s a leap that not everyone, including a few of my more privacy-minded friends, is willing to take just yet.

Challenges and Limitations

Let’s not get carried away. For all its bright spots, Comet has a few potholes that need filling:

Cost Barrier: The price is, to be blunt, steep. Unless you’re a power user or tech enthusiast, it’s a tall order for mass adoption at this stage.
Trust Hurdles: Despite transparent policies, “AI tracking all my moves” remains a big ask for Joe Public.
Limited Accessibility: No mobile version yet, and the waiting list means many potential users are left twiddling their thumbs.
Learning Dependency: Relying on AI isn’t everyone’s idea of fun—especially when it comes to sensitive data or nuanced decisions.
Cultural Resistance: For users wary of surveillance or with strict data compliance needs, old-school, untracked browsing still holds plenty of appeal.

I’m quietly hopeful these snags are temporary, but with the privacy hawks circling and regulators sharpening their pencils, the road ahead could get bumpy if Perplexity slips up.

The Future: Can Comet Dethrone Google?

Ambition runs thick at Perplexity—almost as thick as the mystery surrounding what mass adoption might look like. With monthly query volumes crossing 780 million in May 2025 and double-digit growth every month, momentum is building. The endgame is bold: not merely to rival Google in search, but to become the actual “operating system” for the internet, seamlessly connecting searching, doing, and automating in a single elegant loop.

CEO Aravind Srinivas isn’t shy about his vision—a digital butler that doesn’t just keep up with your needs but often beats you to the punch. The dream? To free users from online drudgery, leaving more time for, well, living. It’s a hard sell for sceptics, but as AI matures and digital natives demand convenience, Comet could shake up default assumptions about what a browser is meant to be.

Widespread Adoption: Hang tight for a free version—broader rollout is on the roadmap, and Perplexity knows rationing access will only build demand.
Privacy Backlash: History says the data question won’t go away. Only consistent, genuine privacy protection and crystal-clear policies can win nervous users over.
Market Dynamics: If Comet makes AI so routine and indispensable that competitors must adopt similar features, expect a new wave of innovation (and rivalry).

As for me, I’m watching this race with keen interest. Tech history is littered with promising upstarts who stumbled at the crucial hurdles of trust, utility, and value. Perplexity’s current trajectory suggests it just might clear them—if they stay light on their feet and listen as much as they automate.

Practical Implications for Marketing, Sales, and Everyday Users

The Marketer’s New Toolkit

Instant Trend Detection: With AI sifting through real-time browsing data (with consent, one would hope), marketers can spot swings in interest and tweak campaigns on the fly.
Conversion Gains: Personalised recommendations and AI-driven nudges should nudge conversion rates skyward.
Integration with Automation Platforms: If you live and breathe tools like make.com or n8n, the browser’s API hooks could automate everything from lead gen to post-sale nurturing, as long as privacy is baked into the process.

A Boost for Sales Teams

Seamless Follow-Up: Sales reps can delegate admin to Comet, freeing them up for actual conversations and human rapport-building.
Greater Insight: AI can slice and dice prospects’ online behaviour to better inform engagement strategies.
Less Admin: The dull bits of pipeline management—reminders, notetaking, lead scoring—can be left to the browser, boosting both efficiency and morale.

For Everyday Users

Time Savings: Let the AI do the busywork—summarising, organising, and even ordering for you.
Less App Hopping: The integrated approach is genuinely refreshing; I found myself switching tabs far less often, which did wonders for my focus.
Heightened Personalisation: Everything from news to shopping is tailored to what you’re interested in, right when you’re interested in it. (You might even discover a liking for Monday-morning checklists—I never thought I would!)

That said, there’s no such thing as “free magic”—you’ll have to square your comfort with sharing the details of your digital life for the privilege.

Final Thoughts: Brave New Browser, Brave New Choices

I’ve always been of the mind that technology is about trade-offs. Perplexity’s Comet embodies this in spades: you swap a little (or, maybe, a lot) of your privacy for hands-off convenience; you pay top dollar for early access to innovation, knowing you’re test-driving for the world.

But above all, Comet brings the “browser wars” into a new phase—not just about speed or extensions, but about who makes the best digital sidekick. For marketers and businesses, that means learning to think in workflows instead of clicks; for users, it demands a new kind of trust, one forged not loud promises but quiet, consistent delivery.

Would I recommend it? If you like tinkering, value speed, and are willing to shoulder the risk, Comet is worth a whirl. Just remember: as with English weather, always expect the unexpected—and keep your mac handy.

TL;DR

Comet by Perplexity is an AI-integrated browser that aims to overtake Google by offering deeper automation, real-time personalisation, and delegated task execution.
User tracking is in its DNA: browsing activity is monitored, though stored locally, and forms the basis of its smart features.
Premium, Exclusive Access: $200/month subscription or invitation needed as of mid-2025; a free version is promised in future.
Marketing and sales will need to adapt: hyper-personalisation and new automation hooks shake up how businesses engage customers.
Privacy Questions Remain: Despite local-first storage and clear ethics, trusting any always-on browser means weighing convenience against data sensitivity.
The verdict? The first real step toward browsers that do, not just show—a leap forward, but not without its thorns.

If you decide to take Comet for a spin, mind how you go—and let’s keep the conversation alive. It’s a corker of a time to be in tech, wouldn’t you say?

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