We’re not ready for AI Browsers

DEEP DIVE
We’re not ready for AI Browsers

So if you missed it:

Perplexity just dropped its AI browser called Comet.

You probably haven’t used it though:

It’s locked behind their $200/month plan. (awkward)

OpenAI also announced that their AI browser is coming very soon.

Cool cool cool.

But why are they doing all this?

Let’s break it down and why you probably aren’t ready for what’s coming.

Wait, what even is an AI browser?

You’ve probably seen stuff like Manus AI or the new ChatGPT Agent.

Those are AI browser agents, they automate stuff you normally do manually in your browser.

But they’re still working on top of your regular browser. Chrome. (Or Safari if you’re quirky like that.)

AI browsers are different.

They bake AI directly into the browser itself.

From the ground up.

They don’t look too different on the surface but they unlock a whole new set of possibilities.

Okay, so what do they actually do? And why couldn’t this be a SaaS?

Good question.

Here’s what makes them a big deal:

1. You’re already logged in.

   No constant login prompts when trying to automate stuff.

2. They have real-time context.

   The browser sees what you’re doing. No need to explain.

3. They can take actions on the fly.

   Like:

“Hey, summarize that Notion tab and email it to Sarah.”

Or: “Book that flight and add it to my calendar.”

No switching tabs. No copy/paste. No starting over in some AI app.

You can simply @mention an opened tab and ask the AI browser to take action or extract info for you.

See example in Comet:

It flips how we’ve always used the web:

Here’s the old way:

1. Open Google

2. Type your search

3. Click 5 links

4. Get distracted

5. Copy/paste into a doc

6. Forget why you even started

With AI browsers, you would interact with your agent, who would be the one interacting with tabs.

You’re no longer using the browser.

You’re delegating inside it.

And that’s a completely different internet experience.

Again all of this would not be possible with just a chrome extension.

Or even with current AI browser agents that can’t access all of this.

Why this is a big deal?

If we look a few years away, this could also be the only way to combat AI slope.

AI has already taken over most written content on the internet (blog, social media,etc.)

There is already a sludge of poor quality content and a lot of noise.

I think that in a few years AI will do the same to video content (short form and long form)

Which means one thing:

Information gets harder to find.

That’s where AI browsers become the filter.

They’ll know your preferences.

They’ll curate based on your goals.

Instead of searching, you’ll just say:

“Find me a tutorial on how to build a client dashboard in Notion, but skip the cringe and the fluff.”

And it’ll know exactly what to show you.

Sounds amazing, right? What’s the catch?

The catch is that these “free” AI browser aren’t actually all that free.

You’re paying with your data.

These things know:

• What tabs you’re opening

• What you’re typing

• What tools you’re logged into

• What you’re buying

It’s the entire surface area of your digital life.

And you better believe advertisers would kill for that data.

In the future, your AI browser might get paid to subtly nudge you toward one product over another.

No big banner ads. Just a quiet suggestion from your friendly browser agent.

Spooky.

So… should you care?

Yes.

AI browsers are going to change how we interact with the internet.

And eventually, how our clients do too.

If you’re running a service business, coaching practice, or any info-based offer…

These tools are going to flip expectations.

Faster research.

Less clicking.

More headspace.

But also: higher stakes for trust and transparency.