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Hello, tech enthusiasts! Today we’re diving into the exciting yet slightly unsettling world of browsers aiming to understand users like never before.
Perplexity, a rising star in the tech scene, is building its own browser named Comet, with a bold goal: to gather data beyond just its app. CEO Aravind Srinivas revealed it plans to track everything users do online, all to serve ultra-targeted ads that feel more personal.
This new approach isn’t just about competing with Google—Perplexity wants to become the new search giant. Srinivas mentioned that by collecting data on buying habits, hotel stays, restaurant visits, and browsing patterns, they can build a detailed profile of every user. The idea is that tailored ads will be more relevant, making the experience better for users, or so they claim.
The browser, which is called Comet, is on schedule to launch in May after some setbacks. Interestingly, Perplexity isn’t limiting itself to desktop—its partnership with Motorola means the app will be pre-installed on Razr phones and accessible via Moto AI with a simple command. Talks with Samsung are also underway, hinting at a broader mobile presence.
Major tech players like Google and Meta are already in the game, tracking users to serve ads. Even Apple, famous for privacy, still engages in some location tracking to promote its services. Srinivas’s candid discussion about data collection raises eyebrows but also echoes how Google built its trillion-dollar empire by following user data around the internet.
Of course, this approach isn’t without controversy. Many distrust big tech for similar reasons, especially in political discussions about privacy and monopoly power. Google itself is caught in court battles over its dominance, with companies like OpenAI and Perplexity eyeing its Chrome business, possibly hoping to buy if it gets forced to sell.
Perplexity’s ambitions don’t stop at desktops—they’re also eyeing mobile markets, aiming to integrate their browser into Motorola devices and potentially Samsung phones. Srinivas emphasizes the value of understanding everything users do outside their app, believing that more data means better, more relevant ads that users might even appreciate.
At the core, the company is inspired by Google’s success in monetizing user data and is eager to replicate it by building a giant data profile for each user, with the intention of selling hyper-personalized advertising. Whether this will turn into user backlash or a new standard in browsing remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: the future of internet navigation is data-rich and potentially privacy-questionable.
