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Most of us don’t think twice about the browser we use. Chrome, Safari, maybe Arc—it’s just the window where the internet happens.
But what if the browser itself became intelligent?
Not just a passive window, but an active partner that summarizes articles, manages your calendar, finds cheaper products, or even pays your bills—all while you browse.
That’s no longer a “what if.”
Two new products—Dia (by The Browser Company) and Comet (by Perplexity)—are redefining what a browser can be.
Instead of switching between ChatGPT, your inbox, and endless tabs, these browsers bake AI directly into the browsing experience. The result?
👉 Everyday tasks feel faster, lighter, and in some cases, completely automated.
I spent time analyzing both. Here’s a deep dive into what they can do, where each shines, and why this shift might be as big as the leap from dumbphones to smartphones.
Why AI Browsers Are Different
We’ve already seen “agentic” consumer products like ChatGPT Operator Mode or Google’s Project Mariner. The problem? They live in separate interfaces. You have to stop what you’re doing, open a new tool, and “spin up a project.”
Google’s Project Mariner
AI browsers flip that model. Instead of AI being an app, it becomes ambient intelligence in your browsing flow.
Here’s what that means in practice:
You’re watching a YouTube video → the browser can summarize it instantly.
You’re shopping online → it suggests cheaper alternatives.
You’ve got 12 research tabs open → it merges them into one digest.
You’re looking for a flight confirmation → it pulls it directly from your email.
In short: you don’t go to AI… AI comes to you.
Both Dia and Comet build around a few shared ideas:
Built-in AI Assistant
A chat sidebar that understands the page you’re on. Highlight text, screenshot, or paste context → it generates answers, summaries, or drafts.
Built in ai assistants in both browsers
Search + Summarization
Instead of copying links into ChatGPT, you ask right in the browser. Especially useful for articles, research, or long-form videos.
Summarize youtube videos
Shopping Help
From “find me a cheaper dupe” to “compare these 5 Airbnbs,” both are designed to act like a smart shopping assistant.
Finding cheaper prices on items
Voice Mode
Dictate directly into the browser—faster than typing, and particularly useful on mobile or while multitasking.Personalization
Both let you “teach” the browser how you work, what you care about, and even your coding preferences. Over time, results get tailored to you.
Personalization options offered by both
Together, these features make AI casual. Instead of being a “big thing you have to set up,” it becomes part of the flow.
Where Dia Stands Out
Dia is less of a traditional browser and more of a workflow engine. In fact, it doesn’t even have a standard top navigation bar. You interact with the web through its AI-first interface.
Here’s where Dia shines:
Skills System
You can design custom workflows that run with a single command.
Example: You’re a creator doing brand outreach → create a skill that:Pulls brand info from their website
Gathers contact details
Drafts a personalized outreach email based on your audience
Instead of redoing the process 20 times, Dia does it in one shot.
Brand Research in Dia
Tab Intelligence
If you’re the “too many tabs” person, Dia can merge context across them.Summarize 10 research articles at once
Compare multiple Airbnbs or product pages side by side
Comparison table of data across tabs in Dia
File Uploads
Drop PDFs, docs, or files into the browser and layer them with your web research.Personalized AI Voice
Train it on your tone, style, and how you prefer results to look. Feels more like an extension of your brain than a generic chatbot.
💡 Who should care: Builders, creators, and operators who thrive on repeatable workflows.
⚠️ Watch out for: It feels less like a browser and more like “ChatGPT Pro.” If you love Chrome-style simplicity, Dia may feel heavy.
Where Comet Stands Out
Comet feels closer to a browser that acts like an agent. It’s rooted in Perplexity’s strength—search—but goes further into real action across your digital life.
Here’s where Comet pulls ahead:
Best-in-class Search
Perplexity’s clean, cited search results make it ideal for quick research. Better formatting and sourcing than Dia in side-by-side tests.App Integrations
Connect Google Calendar, Drive, Dropbox, WhatsApp. Then:Ask when your last meeting with Sarah was → it finds it.
Schedule a new one → done in seconds.
Search old emails for flight info or receipts.
Comet looking up flight details from email
Recurring Tasks
Example: “Remind me of unpaid bills each week.”
Because it’s a browser, it can push updates to you automatically.
Comet Tasks
Commerce Superpowers
With billing/shipping info saved, Comet can buy things for you in one click.
Try that in ChatGPT—you’ll be retyping your credit card every time.Collaboration Spaces
Imagine Google Drive folders, but AI-native. Shared workspaces with templates for projects like trip planning, research hubs, or team documents.
💡 Who should care: Knowledge workers, operators, and anyone who wants AI to handle real admin and productivity tasks.
⚠️ Watch out for: Currently invite-only or requires a $200/month Perplexity Max plan. A free tier is promised.
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The Battle: Dia vs. Comet
Dia = Workflow-first
→ Great if you want to build custom, personalized processes.Comet = Productivity-first
→ Great if you want your browser to manage emails, files, meetings, and tasks.
Neither is perfect, but both feel like the first real AI-native browsers.
Why This Matters
AI browsers aren’t about faster browsing. They’re about working differently.
For businesses: imagine your team’s browser handling invoices, scheduling, and research.
For creators: imagine setting up “skills” that automate outreach, research, and content workflows.
For everyday users: imagine your browser as the hub for your apps, searches, and actions.
This is the same shift we saw when smartphones absorbed maps, music, and cameras. Browsers are about to absorb AI agents, apps, and automation.
My Takeaway
Comet is the stronger core browser today.
Dia is the stronger workflow tool if you’re willing to invest in setup.
Both are worth watching closely. Especially because the biggest players—Google, OpenAI, even Apple—haven’t entered the ring yet. When they do, expect a platform war. Whoever wins the AI browser layer could own the interface for billions of users.