Andy Walker / Android Authority
The community’s hatred of AI is completely valid. Even I can’t help but scoff when I hear about new features landing on operating systems that don’t need them, or apps with additions that offer no tangible benefit. This was my reaction when the first AI web browsers appeared on Windows and the Play Store. However, since I need to stay updated on developments like this, I gritted my teeth and jumped in with both feet.
My first AI browser, Arc Search, was surprisingly good. It was less a browser and more a souped-up search experience, but I did enjoy how it handled search queries. While I didn’t see it as a primary browser — it would never replace Firefox on my Android phone — I was disappointed when The Browser Company announced new things and left Arc behind.
So, I had to find a replacement, and many, many months later, Perplexity launched Comet. The browser effectively wrapped the soft, gooey Perplexity chatbot experience with a chocolatey Chromium shell. This has its issues, but I’ve found a rather brilliant use case for it.
Are you using an AI-powered browser? 1026 votes Yes, I just adopted ChatGPT Atlas. 16 % Yes, I'm using Perplexity's Comet Browser. 18 % Yes, I have Gemini in my Chrome browser. 17 % Yes, I'm using another AI-powered browser (tell us in the comments). 4 % No, but I've installed an AI extension in my existing browser. 5 % No. 40 %
It’s Perplexity with built-in tab management and ad-blocking
Andy Walker / Android Authority
I’ll admit that the proliferation of AI is growing tiresome, but the technology does have its merits in certain situations. One of these is bringing masses of data together and simplifying it. This makes it perfect for reading the news.
I previously detailed how I use AI chatbots as a replacement for Google News and Discover. With a well-crafted prompt, I can easily get a sample of the current global news climate, in specific local pockets, and on specific topics. I can control how many stories appear, drill down further into specific details of a story, branch out into related stories, and much more. Using Perplexity for news makes consuming that news far more rewarding and fulfilling.
There is a problem, though. The Perplexity chatbot app isn’t a browser. If I want to read news from an actual source, I’d have to open that link in a separate browser window. This can be a little annoying, and if I have multiple queries on the go, juggling them in another app can be distracting and confusing. This is where Comet really shines.
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