Perplexity received 780 million queries last month, CEO says

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Perplexity, the AI-powered search engine, is experiencing explosive growth—handling a staggering 780 million queries in May alone. CEO Aravind Srinivas dropped this bombshell during his appearance at Bloomberg’s Tech Summit, revealing that the platform is growing at over 20% month-over-month. \"If we keep this momentum,\" he said, \"we could hit a billion queries per week within a year.\"
That’s a jaw-dropping leap from its humble beginnings in 2022, when it processed just 3,000 queries on its first day. Fast-forward to today, and Perplexity is handling 30 million daily searches—proof that AI-driven search isn’t just a trend, but a seismic shift in how people find information.
The Comet Browser: A Game-Changer in the Works
Srinivas believes Perplexity’s next big growth driver is Comet, its upcoming browser. Unlike traditional browsers, Comet isn’t just a window to the web—it’s designed to be a \"cognitive operating system,\" blending AI-powered actions with seamless browsing. \"If people are in the browser, it’s infinite retention,\" Srinivas explained. \"Every search, every new tab, every interaction becomes an opportunity for deeper engagement.\"
The goal? Shift AI from merely answering questions to executing tasks—like booking flights, summarizing meetings, or even handling entire browsing sessions with a single prompt. \"You need to rethink the browser entirely,\" Srinivas said, \"because people aren’t just browsing the internet anymore—they’re living on it.\"
Why Build a Browser?
Beyond enhancing user experience, Comet has a strategic edge: premium ad monetization. By tracking activity beyond its own app (much like Google did in its early days), Perplexity aims to create a more lucrative ad model. Srinivas hinted at this in April, though details remain under wraps.
As for the launch timeline? Srinivas recently tweeted that Comet is 3-5 weeks away, with features like virtual meeting transcription and search coming shortly after.
Comet will have native virtual meeting recording, transcription, and search. Not in the first release, but soon after. Release ETA: min 3 weeks, max 5. Reliability and latency have improved…
— Aravind Srinivas (@AravSrinivas) May 13, 2025
AI’s Next Frontier: Proactive Assistance
Srinivas envisions Comet as a constant companion—\"there for work or life, as a sidekick or a full-on browsing assistant.\" This aligns with a broader trend: AI isn’t just a tool anymore; it’s becoming an extension of how we navigate the digital world. \"If you want a truly personalized AI,\" he said, \"it needs to live where you do—inside your browser.\"
Meanwhile, at TechCrunch Sessions: AI…
While Perplexity charts its course, the AI race heats up elsewhere. TechCrunch’s upcoming Sessions: AI event (June 5, Berkeley) will feature insights from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Khosla Ventures. Early-bird tickets are available until June 4, with exhibitor slots open through May 9.
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}