Comet AI Browser Review: Voice-Controlled, Manages Your Emails, and Then Some

Comet is a new AI-powered web browser from Perplexity. Think of it less as a simple browser and more as a browser-assistant. It doesn't just find information; it can actually perform tasks for you. While it works slower than a human, it can manage your email and even make purchases (currently limited to Amazon, but other retailers may be added). Here's a closer look at this new contender.

The browser's standout feature is its deep integration of AI into search and navigation. Instead of the usual list of Google results, Comet delivers a direct answer from its own AI engine right in the browser window. A click on the 'Assistant' button opens a side panel where you can ask questions by voice or text. In this mode, Comet handles follow-up questions and can even reference the content of a webpage to translate text or highlight key passages that answer your query. This integration turns searching into a dialogue, where you simply think out loud, and the browser executes your commands.

Unlike traditional search engines that dump a list of links on you, forcing you to sift through the results yourself, Comet cuts out the middleman. It provides a concise, structured answer, complete with source links for fact-checking, saving you the hassle of opening dozens of tabs. You also get a choice of AI models, from GPT-5 to Claude Opus 4.1.

Comet can automatically sort your open tabs by topic. Just give a command like "Organize my tabs by category," and the browser will group them, closing any distracting sites in the process. The assistant can also analyze content, generating summaries of articles and videos, transcribing video, and describing images—though it's not instant and requires a short processing time. This seamless processing lets you get answers from multiple pages without constantly switching between them.

The browser's capabilities even extend beyond standard search. In its "AI that builds" mode, Comet can plan and draft a website or document. It will create the page structure, select a template, and populate it with content using APIs from popular website generators, effectively building content (including markup) with minimal human input.

One of Comet's most practical features is email automation. Once you've connected your Gmail account, the assistant can read your inbox and compose emails on your behalf, complete with all the necessary details. Best of all, it can automatically unsubscribe from spammy mailing lists by finding and clicking the "Unsubscribe" button in emails.

The browser is also handy for planning your workday. Ask it to, and the assistant will draft a schedule based on your calendar—provided you keep one. Finally, Comet can handle shopping. Give a command like "Buy a comfortable chair at a low price," and the assistant will scour retail sites for a suitable model. With the right setup, it can even select a payment method and delivery date. The same goes for booking tickets or a restaurant table—just state your request, and the program handles the rest.

However, these automated processes aren't yet perfect. For instance, when trying to book a restaurant table, the browser might input placeholder info for the email and phone number instead of asking for the real details. So, complex actions still need refinement, and it's wise to double-check the results. The voice mode also has its quirks, sometimes cutting off a response mid-sentence.

For now, Comet is available for Windows and macOS. Mobile clients are still in the works, though the company has announced plans to bring the browser to iOS and Android.

A basic version with limited features is available for free, while the full suite of functions is unlocked with a Perplexity Max subscription. The Pro mode offers more powerful language models, faster processing for complex queries, and access to advanced automation tools.

Comet from Perplexity is an experimental "intelligent browser" that blends search and standard web surfing into a single AI interface. It organizes your tabs, summarizes and analyzes content, and is capable of handling more complex tasks on the user's behalf. Currently in early access, Comet is still a bit rough around the edges. However, its existing functionality offers a compelling glimpse into a future where interacting with a browser and searching the web could be fundamentally different from what we're used to today.

So, what's your take on "smart" browsers? Share your thoughts in the comments