<\/p>\n
The surprise $34.5 billion offer from artificial intelligence start-up Perplexity to buy Google\u2019s Chrome browser may or may not be a long shot, but it points to a far bigger shift in the tech<\/a> landscape: the internet browser is fast becoming the new battleground for AI dominance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Chrome, used by an estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide, is not just a gateway to the web; it is increasingly a prime channel for shaping how users interact with technology. While the browser\u2019s role has traditionally been to connect people to search engines, AI firms now see it as a direct on-ramp to their own services, bypassing search altogether.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Perplexity <\/a>has already dipped its toes into this territory with Comet, its own experimental browser that places an AI assistant at the heart of the experience. Queries typed into its address bar are answered by AI rather than through a conventional web search. For now, Comet\u2019s reach is negligible compared with Chrome\u2019s market share of more than two-thirds on both desktop and mobile, but an acquisition could change that overnight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The potential transformation is clear: if an AI-driven browser became the default for billions of users, it could reset entrenched habits around information-seeking and online discovery. Search engines<\/a> and the advertising businesses built around them, would lose their dominance, replaced by AI models capable of delivering tailored answers instantly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFrom search gateway to AI launchpad<\/h2>\n
Comet: Perplexity AI’s early experiment<\/h2>\n
The Antitrust Battle<\/h2>\n