For decades, Google has dominated the global search engine market, serving as the primary tool for navigation and online discovery. Despite efforts by rivals such as Microsoft’s Bing, Google’s position has remained largely unchallenged. However, with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, competition is intensifying. Tech firms, including OpenAI, Perplexity and Microsoft, are now racing to develop AI-powered search platforms that may redefine how people interact with the internet.
A browser that thinks: The AI future where you can ask anything
Traditional search engines such as Google, based on link-based indexing and keyword matching, are increasingly ill-suited to the conversational, context-aware demands of today’s digital users. The rise of generative AI has ushered in a new era of interaction, prompting many to turn away from Google in favor of AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Copilot for quick answers and everyday queries. In many cases, users are now able to extract useful information and quotes from websites without ever visiting them.
In the wake of AI’s rapid ascent, the race has been on to develop a platform that seamlessly blends the immediacy of AI-generated responses with the depth and scope of a traditional search engine like Google. This week, Perplexity AI announced the pilot launch of what it believes may be just that. Meanwhile, reports suggest OpenAI is preparing to unveil a similar project in the near future.
Meet Comet, Perplexity AI’s bold answer to Google’s search empire
Perplexity is launching Comet, a next-generation AI search engine built on its proprietary AI engine. Instead of traditional link lists, Comet delivers real-time, synthesized answers, yet users can still browse the web as they normally would. Integrated into the browser is the Comet Assistant—an intelligent tool designed to automate repetitive digital tasks with minimal input.
Comet Assistant does the heavy lifting while you browse. It watches what you read and work on, ready to offer real-time answers, insights and suggestions about anything you’ve seen. Imagine you’re 10 minutes into a TED Talk and discover an interesting mindfulness practice. You can pause and ask your assistant for a quick summary, making sure you stay on track and fully understand what you’re learning. Comet Assistant can also analyze social media content in real time, extracting key insights from posts, comments and trends to keep professionals informed and updated without manual effort. Perplexity envisions Comet as its most powerful all-in-one service, designed to satisfy any user query or need.
“Comet learns how you think, collaborates on your research, and keeps your digital life focused,” Perplexity states on its website, pledging to eliminate the need to ever “browse” the internet manually.
Perplexity isn’t the only contender vying for supremacy in the AI search engine space. Despite Google’s and Safari’s continued dominance in conventional search, a growing number of smaller competitors are also seeking to disrupt and eventually dismantle this digital duopoly.
Safari, as the default browser across all Apple devices, reaches over 1.65 billion active users globally. This built-in advantage means most Apple users stick with Safari without a second thought. Google Chrome holds a similarly dominant position, pre-installed on millions of Android devices powering more than 3 billion users. For AI startups trying to break into this infrastructure, the opportunity is enormous—but so are the risks.
OpenAI’s new browser could turn the web into a ChatGPT experience
OpenAI is reportedly also intensifying its efforts in the web browser space, amid growing speculation that Google and traditional browsers may soon lose their dominance. Sources told Reuters that OpenAI plans to launch an AI-powered browser designed to challenge Alphabet’s Google Chrome. Expected to launch in the coming weeks, the browser seeks to harness OpenAI’s advanced AI. OpenAI will also look to capitalize on one of Google’s key advantages in this field—its vast data collection infrastructure.
According to two sources, OpenAI’s new browser aims to keep some user interactions within a native ChatGPT-style chat interface, eliminating the need to click through to websites. Another source explained that this browser fits into OpenAI’s wider strategy to embed its services seamlessly across both personal and professional domains.
Unlike challengers such as Perplexity, OpenAI has firmly established itself as the world’s leading AI platform for fast, reliable assistance—a trusted name widely used both professionally and personally. Users rely on ChatGPT equally for their daily work tasks and casual inquiries, from complex projects to perfecting a Neapolitan pizza. This deep trust could prove a significant advantage as OpenAI breaks new ground.
While it is still early days for AI-powered browsers, the momentum behind Perplexity and OpenAI signals a major shift—one that could permanently transform how we navigate the internet. Traditional search formats face the prospect of a complete redesign, and legacy giants like Apple and Google may soon need to either innovate or accelerate AI integration into their existing browsers. As more users turn to AI as a replacement for conventional search, the race is on to deliver a model capable of doing the extraordinary.
Photo by NDRANIK HAKOBYAN/Shutterstock
