Perplexity Plans to Track Browser Users to Sell Personalized Ads

Perplexity AI is moving beyond AI chat and into the ad-tech playbook of Big Tech. CEO Aravind Srinivas revealed this week that the company’s upcoming web browser, Comet, is being designed to collect detailed user activity across the internet—not just within the app itself—to fuel hyper-personalized advertising.

“That’s kind of one of the other reasons we wanted to build a browser, is we want to get data even outside the app to better understand you,” Srinivas said on the TBPN podcast. “Because some of the prompts that people do in these AIs is purely work-related. It’s not like that’s personal.”

Srinivas argued that personal browsing data—such as hotel bookings, restaurant visits, and shopping behavior—is far more valuable for building detailed user profiles than work-related AI queries alone. “What are the things you’re buying; which hotels are you going [to]; which restaurants are you going to; what are you spending time browsing, tells us so much more about you,” he said.

He suggested that users will welcome this level of tracking if the result is better-targeted, more relevant ads: “We plan to use all the context to build a better user profile and, maybe you know, through our discover feed we could show some ads there.”

A Familiar Strategy

The move mirrors a strategy used by Google itself, which built its Chrome browser and Android operating system in part to gather extensive user data and reinforce its advertising empire—now worth hundreds of billions. Meta has long tracked web behavior using its Pixels system, while even Apple, despite its privacy-centric branding, collects user location data for ad targeting by default in some of its apps.

Comet, which had faced delays, is now expected to launch in May, according to Srinivas.

Expanding Into Mobile

Perplexity is also taking a page from Google’s mobile strategy. The company has struck a deal with Motorola to pre-install its app across new Motorola devices, including the Razr and Edge 60 series. Users will be able to access it directly through the phone’s Moto AI assistant by typing “Ask Perplexity,” with additional optimizations designed specifically for Razr devices, such as use on the external display when the phone is folded shut.

The partnership goes beyond search: Perplexity’s assistant will also let users send emails, set smart reminders, play media, request rides, and even book restaurant reservations. New Motorola device owners will also receive a three-month free trial of Perplexity Pro, unlocking features like Deep Research, advanced AI model selection, Pro Shopping, and unlimited file uploads.

Srinivas also referenced a Bloomberg report indicating Perplexity is in talks with Samsung, though he stopped short of confirming a deal.

Timing and Irony

The timing of Srinivas’ comments is notable. As Perplexity eyes a future in surveillance-driven advertising, Google is currently in court battling the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations of monopolistic behavior in online search and advertising. The DOJ is seeking remedies that could include forcing Google to divest its Chrome browser business.

Both OpenAI and Perplexity have publicly expressed interest in buying Chrome if it’s put up for sale—a move that would give them unprecedented access to user data and browser infrastructure.

What This Means

Perplexity’s plan to build a browser that tracks users across the internet signals a clear shift: AI startups aren’t just competing with Google on product—they’re emulating its most controversial business practices. What’s striking, however, is the company’s transparency. Unlike Google or Meta, which often obscure their data collection methods behind dense privacy policies, Perplexity is openly stating that its browser is being designed to gather personal browsing data to fuel its advertising engine.

This raises critical questions. While Meta and Google have long built empires on user tracking, Perplexity’s candid approach may backfire. Will users be comfortable with this level of surveillance from a company still building its reputation? Will they trust that their data will be handled responsibly? As public awareness around digital privacy grows—especially in the wake of major antitrust cases and regulatory shifts—Perplexity’s strategy may strike a nerve.

There are also global implications. In regions governed by the EU AI Act and GDPR, Perplexity may face challenges around consent, transparency, and data processing. If its ad-based business model relies heavily on behavioral data, it’s unclear how—or if—the browser will operate in countries with strict privacy protections.

In trying to out-Google Google, Perplexity may also inherit its scrutiny. But with users and regulators increasingly wary of data exploitation, the company may find that what worked for Big Tech in the past won’t fly unchallenged in the AI era.

At the same time, it’s possible that this level of data tracking is simply becoming the new reality. As more companies build business models around personal data, and as digital life becomes more deeply intertwined with AI services, the idea of true online privacy may be slipping further out of reach—whether users fully realize it or not.

As AI companies race to build the future, the fight for digital privacy may already be slipping quietly into the past.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.