Perplexity has shown another feature that contends with Google. The company has now invested in Perplexity browser tracking to develop user experience and add more value to its service.
According to Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, on the TBPN podcast, Perplexity is building its browser. The Perplexity browser tracking will help to collate users’ data on everything they do outside of its app. This will help to sell premium ads.
The CEO further affirmed such an action as a reason for building a browser. He added, “We want to gather data even outside the app to better understand you.” Moving forward, he linked this with some of the prompts that people do in these AIs. He also noted that they are purely work-related and not like that’s personal.”
Perplexity Browser tracking will fail if users only ask work-related queries.
On the other hand, Aravind said the AI will work excellently well if users ask what things they are buying. Or which hotels they lodge at. And perhaps the restaurants they visit. What do they search for on the internet when they are free? Or just anything about them.
Srinivas believes that once the search is relevant to you as an individual, Perplexity browser tracking will be performed. He said, “We plan to use all the context to build a better user profile. Perhaps, you know, through our discovery feed, we could show some ads there.”
According to a Bloomberg report, the company is also discussing with Samsung how to integrate Perplexity browser tracking. Srinivas referenced the Bloomberg article from earlier this month on the podcast, which discussed both partnerships.
Obviously, Google isn’t the only one watching users online to sell ads. Meta’s ad tracking technology also does it. This happens through Pixels. Developers embed Pixels on websites across the internet. That’s how Meta gathers data, even on people who don’t have Facebook or Instagram accounts. Even Apple, which has marketed itself as a privacy protector, does the same.
Apple can’t resist tracking users’ locations to market advertising in some of its apps by default. These justify the Perplexity of browser tracking AI. On the contrary, some people across the political spectrum in the US and Europe do not trust big tech due to incidents like this.
Google Faces Litigation Over Monopoly Allegation
Google is currently in a court case with the US Department of Justice. It alleged that Google acted in a monopolistic manner to dominate the search and online advertising markets. The DOJ wants the judge to order Google to divest its Chrome browser.
TechPolyp notes that quietly following users around the internet helped Google become the roughly $2 trillion market cap company it is today. That’s why it built a browser and a mobile operating system. Indeed, Perplexity is also attempting something in the mobile world. It aims to do this with its Perplexity browser tracking.
Perplexing signed a partnership with Motorola, which was announced Thursday. Consequently, the app will be pre-installed on the Razr series. You can also assess it through the Moto AI by typing “Ask Perplexity”.
Unsurprisingly, both OpenAI and Perplexity stated that they would acquire the Chrome browser business. However, this could only happen if Google had the force of law behind it to sell.
Similarly, Perplexity took a bold step to merge with TikTok. The US government would own 50% of the new company. The Perplexity discussed this proposal with Reuters and the Associated Press.
