
In February of this year, Perplexity.ai announced the forthcoming launch of its proprietary web browser, “Comet,” which promises a search experience enriched by AI agent integration. In a recent interview, CEO Aravind Srinivas elaborated on the company’s plans to collect user interaction data through the browser, with the intent of monetizing the platform by delivering personalized advertisements.
This approach represents a new revenue model for Perplexity.ai, wherein user behavior and activity data collected via the browser will not only serve as training material for future iterations of its AI models but also enable the delivery of targeted advertisements based on users’ browsing preferences.
A similar strategy has long been employed by Google, which analyzes user activity within its Chrome browser to serve personalized ads, thereby generating substantial advertising revenue.
At a hearing on April 23, during the ongoing U.S. Department of Justice antitrust case against Google, Perplexity.ai’s Chief Business Officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, expressed interest in acquiring the Chrome browser business should the court compel Google to divest it. He emphasized that Perplexity.ai is prepared to maintain the browser’s development and updates without compromising service quality or imposing charges on users.
Nevertheless, Shevelenko voiced his reservations about the potential breakup of Chrome’s operations, particularly if the browser were to fall under the control of OpenAI. He cautioned that if OpenAI were to abandon support for Chromium—the open-source project underpinning Chrome—or shift away from its open-source ethos, the broader ecosystem could face significant disruption.
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