Latest news with #Chromium
Tom's Guide
21 hours ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
The rise of AI browsers is shaking up the web — here's why it matters
AI is changing how we interact with the internet, and it's happening faster than most people realize. As tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini provide instant answers without requiring users to click through to websites, the ripple effects are starting to show. I've pointed to a steep decline in traffic for major publishers because of advanced AI overviews and chatbots hopping paywalls, suggesting that the traditional, ad-supported model of the open web is under pressure. The worry is that if no one's clicking, then no one's paying, and that puts the future of free, high-quality content at risk. At the same time, a new generation of AI browsers is starting to emerge. OpenAI, Perplexity, Opera and others are building browsers that go beyond simply displaying web pages. These tools are designed to function more like intelligent assistants becaues they can summarize content, complete tasks and guide users through multi-step processes like booking a reservation or comparing products across tabs. OpenAI is reportedly developing a browser based on Chromium with GPT-4o integration. It's expected to offer task automation, tab management and AI-powered content summarization. Perplexity's Comet browser, currently available, takes a similar approach but is gated behind a premium subscription. Opera's AI browser leans into privacy, offering local-agent capabilities that aim to keep user data on-device while still providing intelligent support. If AI can provide an answer without sending monetizable traffic to the original source, what happens to the websites that created that content in the first place? These features can be helpful, especially for users looking to get things done more efficiently. But they also raise big questions. If AI can provide an answer without sending monetizable traffic to the original source, what happens to the websites that created that content in the first place? This represents a shift in the long-standing structure of the web. For years, the exchange was simple: users got access to free information, and publishers got paid through ads and affiliate links. If AI bypasses that interaction, the balance starts to fall apart. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The idea of 'surfing the web' is being replaced by something more passive and curated. Instead of typing a query and scanning a list of results, users might soon ask their AI browser a question and receive a synthesized answer pulled from multiple sources, often without visiting any of them. These AI browsers are reframing the internet as a kind of workspace, where information is delivered on demand and most of the heavy lifting is handled in the background. It's a shift in how we find and engage with information, and it could change the way users experience the web entirely. There are also growing concerns about privacy. While Opera has taken a more transparent, local approach, many AI tools still rely on cloud processing. As AI browsers become more capable and more integrated into our daily lives, the trade-offs between convenience and privacy are likely to get more complicated. That opens the door to user data being collected, stored and potentially used to train future models. As AI browsers become more capable and more integrated into our daily lives, the trade-offs between convenience and privacy are likely to get more complicated. On top of that, regulatory questions are piling up. The U.S. Department of Justice is already looking into Google Chrome's market dominance, and lawsuits around AI data scraping are picking up steam. Some companies, like Perplexity, are experimenting with revenue-sharing models for publishers, but it's not yet clear whether those efforts will be enough to support the kind of content people rely on. AI browsers are poised to change the way we use the internet and that includes how we access information, what we trust and how we support the sites we visit. Whether this shift ultimately hurts or helps the web depends on how companies, publishers and users respond to the changes ahead. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas on why Comet browser can beat Google's Project Mariner: ‘Expect them to copy…'
Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas has shared how the company's Comet browser plans to take on competition from Google's Project Mariner. Notably, Project Mariner is currently available only to Google's paying customers and brings many of the AI functionalities offered by new-generation generative AI browsers. Asked about the competition between Google and Perplexity during a Reddit AMA, Srinivas said, 'They have something called Project Mariner (behind a $250/mo plan, I believe) – similar but quite limited compared to the capabilities of Comet.' 'I expect them to pay close attention and copy/adopt stuff,' he added. Srinivas confirmed that Comet is built on Chromium and expressed that he is 'grateful' to Google for keeping it open-source. However, he criticised the company for being too bureaucratic and disjointed. 'It's a giant bureaucratic organisation right now with too many decision-makers and disjointed teams, and they have business model constraints on letting agents do the clicks and work for you while continuing to charge advertisers enormous money to keep bidding for clicks and conversions. At some point, they need to embrace one path and suffer, in order to come out stronger, rather than hedging and playing both ways,' Srinivas said. Perplexity launched the Comet browser earlier this month, and it is currently available only to paying users, while free users are being given access gradually via invites. Srinivas was also asked about when Perplexity plans to launch iOS and Android versions of the Comet browser. While he remained non-committal about the exact timeline for Android, he stated that iPhone users could see the new browser in the next two to three months. When asked if Comet will be available to free users, Srinivas said, 'Comet will be accessible for free users definitely. But the agentic search and personal/memory searches might be either rate-limited or exclusive to Pro/Max users. We haven't made any decisions yet. We need to first understand what's the spend per user in the initial cohort.'
Hans India
a day ago
- Business
- Hans India
Perplexity CEO Criticizes Google's Ad-Driven Model, Sparks New AI Browser War
Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas is turning up the heat on tech giant Google as the competition for AI-driven browsers intensifies. In a candid Reddit AMA session, Srinivas did not mince words, calling Google a 'giant bureaucratic organisation' and warning that its deep-rooted reliance on advertising could ultimately hinder its progress in the AI space. Srinivas emphasized a shifting paradigm in how users will interact with the internet, one where intelligent digital agents take over tasks like searching, browsing, and summarising — a move that, he suggested, clashes directly with Google's click-and-ad-driven revenue model. 'At some point, they need to embrace one path and suffer, in order to come out stronger,' he said. Despite Google's internal efforts, including its AI browser initiative 'Project Mariner,' Srinivas claims that legacy monetisation strategies continue to stall real innovation. In contrast, Perplexity is advancing boldly with Comet, its new AI-native browser launched on July 9. Currently available by invitation to users on its premium plan — priced at $200 per month or $2,000 annually — Comet is built to serve users, not advertisers. A free version is reportedly in development. Perplexity recently struck a major partnership in India, where telecom giant Airtel is offering complimentary access to Perplexity Pro for one year to its customers. The company's core pitch is straightforward: Let AI do the hard work so users can make decisions more efficiently — no more endless tabs and distractions. According to Srinivas, this 'agent-first' approach is what sets them apart from traditional browsers, especially one like Google, which made $198 billion last year from search advertising alone. Srinivas also pointed to Google's internal structure as a key bottleneck. 'Too many decision makers and disjoint teams,' he said, adding that smaller, focused teams like his can move faster and innovate better. While Comet is built on Chromium — the open-source browser engine maintained by Google — Perplexity insists its purpose is fundamentally different. The company is laser-focused on user experience, not ad revenue. Srinivas admitted they initially underestimated users' willingness to pay for an ad-free browsing experience. But early demand for Comet's premium tier, he said, proves that 'people are ready to pay for utility and independence.' Speaking at a Y Combinator event in June, Srinivas acknowledged the likelihood of being copied. 'If your company is something that can make revenue on the scale of hundreds of millions of dollars or potentially billions, you should always assume a model company will copy it.' He believes Google is already moving in that direction with Project Mariner, though he labeled it 'similar but quite limited.' That, he argued, reflects a reactive, not proactive, approach to innovation. Perplexity's Head of Communications, Jesse Dwyer, echoed these concerns in a statement to Business Insider, warning that dominant tech firms often try to "drown your voice" when smaller competitors disrupt their space. 'Browser War III,' he said, might lead to negative consequences for consumers if monopolistic tactics win out again. Despite all the sharp critiques, Srinivas did acknowledge the role Chromium played in making Comet possible. But his message was clear: Perplexity is betting on a future where AI agents work for people — not profit models. 'Enough of the monopoly of Google,' Srinivas concluded.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas says Google ‘a giant bureaucratic organization': ‘At some point, they need to…'
Aravind Srinivas, CEO and cofounder of Perplexity AI Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas recently took an aim at Google saying their core business model is not built for the AI-driven future of web browsing. In a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" on July 16, Srinivas said that Google's reliance on ads is at odds with AI agents. He wrote 'They have business model constraints on letting agents do the clicks and work for you while continuing to charge advertisers enormous money to keep bidding for clicks and conversions'. Stating that the tech giant is constrained by its need to protect ad revenue, he said 'At some point, they need to embrace one path and suffer, in order to come out stronger; rather than hedging and playing both ways'. Google is a giant bureaucratic organization: Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas also criticized Google's internal structure, calling it 'a giant bureaucratic organization' with 'too many decision makers and disjoint teams.' Srinivas, during the AMA session, said that he expects Google to "pay close attention" and eventually copy or adopt features from Comet – the company's AI-powered web browser. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Greatest Female Singers, Ranked Drivepedia Undo At a Y Combinator event in June, Perplexity CEO said 'If your company is something that can make revenue on the scale of hundreds of millions of dollars or potentially billions of dollars, you should always assume that a model company will copy it'. Aravind Srinivas also referred to Google's internal Project Mariner as 'similar but quite limited.' He said the browser is designed to prioritize users, not advertisers. Stating that 'We underestimated people's willingness to pay,' he added that 'We also want to bring a change to this world. Enough of the monopoly of Google'. Comet is currently available by invitation and only to users of Perplexity's top-tier plan, priced at $200/month or $2,000/year. A free version is planned. Despite his criticism, Srinivas acknowledged the browser wouldn't be possible without Chromium, the open-source project maintained by Google. Bill Gates No Longer among Top 10 Billionaires: The Real Reason AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Perplexity's CEO takes a shot at Google's AI dilemma: 'They need to embrace one path and suffer'
Perplexity's CEO said Google needs to rethink its stance in the AI browser wars. In a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" on Wednesday, Aravind Srinivas said Google's business model is at odds with the rise of AI agents — the kind that power AI-native browsers like Comet, Perplexity's new product. Google's core business relies on showing people ads and charging advertisers when users click. But AI agents that are built into web browsers can now browse, compare, and even make decisions on a user's behalf. That means fewer human eyeballs on ads and fewer clicks to sell. "They have business model constraints on letting agents do the clicks and work for you while continuing to charge advertisers enormous money to keep bidding for clicks and conversions," Srinivas wrote. While Google has been testing agent-like tools, Srinivas said the tech giant is constrained by its need to protect ad revenue. "At some point, they need to embrace one path and suffer, in order to come out stronger; rather than hedging and playing both ways," he wrote. Srinivas also criticized Google's internal structure. "It's a giant bureaucratic organization," he wrote, with "too many decision makers and disjoint teams." Alphabet, Google's parent company, has about 183,300 employees and generated about $350 billion in total revenue last year, according to its annual report. Google Search's division brought in about $198.1 billion, fueled by growth in user adoption and advertiser spending. In contrast, Comet's product lead, Leonid Persiantsev, wrote in the Reddit forum that the team is intentionally kept small "to stay nimble and fast." Srinivas acknowledged that Comet wouldn't exist without Chromium, the open-source browser project maintained by Google. But he said that Perplexity is betting on a different vision: one in which agents work on behalf of users, not advertisers. "We underestimated people's willingness to pay," Srinivas said in response to a question about Perplexity's shift away from ads. "We also want to bring a change to this world. Enough of the monopoly of Google." Comet is only available by invitation and limited to users on Perplexity's highest-tier plan, which costs $200 a month or $2,000 a year. The company said it will roll out a free version of the browser. Perplexity and Google did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Tech giants 'copy anything that's good' Srinivas said on Wednesday he expects Google to "pay close attention" and eventually copy or adopt features from Comet. He pointed to Google's internal effort, Project Mariner, which is "similar but quite limited" compared to Comet. At a Y Combinator event in June, Srinivas said bigger companies will "copy anything that's good." "If your company is something that can make revenue on the scale of hundreds of millions of dollars or potentially billions of dollars, you should always assume that a model company will copy it," Srinivas said in a conversation that was uploaded to YC's YouTube channel on Friday. Perplexity's head of communications, Jesse Dwyer, wrote in a follow-up statement to Business Insider that bigger companies will not only copy, but also "do everything they can to drown your voice." Perplexity launched its Comet browser on July 9. Later that day, Reuters reported that OpenAI was working on a web browser that would challenge Google Chrome. "Browser wars should be won by users, and if users lose Browser War III, it will be from a familiar playbook: monopolistic behavior by an 'everything company' forcing its product on the market," Dwyer wrote.
