The CEO of AI company Perplexity has revealed that the company’s upcoming browser, Comet, will track users’ online activities to sell highly targeted advertisements.
TechCrunch reports that in a recent interview on the TBPN podcast, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas disclosed the company’s plans to collect data on users’ online activities through its soon-to-be-launched browser, Comet. The primary goal behind this move is to sell “hyper personalized” ads based on the gathered information.
Srinivas explained that tracking users’ online behavior outside of the Perplexity AI app will provide valuable insights into their personal preferences and habits. While users may use Perplexity for business purposes, a browser is used for many reasons including personal purchases. “On the other hand, 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 stated.
The CEO believes that Perplexity’s browser users will accept this tracking because the ads shown to them will be more relevant to their interests. “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,” Srinivas added.
Comet, which has faced some setbacks, is expected to launch in May. Perplexity’s approach to data collection and ad targeting is reminiscent of Google’s strategy, which has helped the tech giant become a trillion-dollar company. Google’s stranglehold on internet advertising can be attributed in part to its browser, Chrome, and its mobile operating system, Android, which enable the company to track users across the internet.
In a similar vein, Perplexity has also ventured into the mobile world by signing a partnership with Motorola. As part of the deal, the Perplexity app will be pre-installed on the Razr series and accessible through the Moto AI by typing “Ask Perplexity.” The company is also reportedly in talks with Samsung for a similar arrangement.
While Perplexity’s plans to track users’ online activities for ad targeting purposes are not unique, as companies like Meta and even Apple engage in similar practices, it has raised concerns among privacy advocates. The growing distrust of big tech companies’ data collection practices has led to increased scrutiny from both the public and regulators in the U.S. and Europe.
Ironically, Srinivas’ open discussion about Perplexity’s browser-tracking ad-selling ambitions comes at a time when Google is facing a legal battle with the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ has accused Google of monopolistic behavior in dominating search and online advertising, and is seeking to force the company to divest its Chrome browser business.
Read more at TechCrunch here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
