AI browsers Atlas and Comet: When AI reinvents surfing

The new era of AI browsers:
How Atlas, Comet and Co. are rethinking the internet

When browsers think for themselves, searching, reading and decision-making change. Swiss companies that want to remain visible need content that both humans and machines can understand equally well.

Browser differences at a glance:

Why does the internet often feel less ad-heavy? Because the path via adverts and banners becomes less visible. Instead of viewing adverts, you receive compact summaries that get straight to the point. This does not mean that advertising is disappearing. It is simply moving into the background, while relevance and usefulness are coming to the fore.

This changes the rules of the game for the visibility of companies. Anyone who wants to be found and cited in AI browsers needs content that is precise, verifiable and machine-friendly. Short sections, clear terms, traceable sources. This creates answers that appear in AI overviews and assistant views and do not get lost in the noise.

AI browsers shift the focus from clicks to clarity. Swiss companies that communicate in a clear and structured manner are recommended more often, cited more readily and contacted more quickly.

The most important Comet features include:

• AI-centric browsing: Comet is not a regular browser with AI add-ons, but was built from the ground up around artificial intelligence.
• Intelligent research: It analyses content from multiple tabs, recognises connections and creates clear summaries.
• Voice assistant: On request, Comet explains content via voice or translates technical texts directly in the browser.
• Automation: Recurring tasks such as market analyses or unsubscribing from newsletters can be performed automatically.
• Integration: The browser can connect to email services or note-taking systems to process research directly.

The downside: Perplexity collects usage data to improve the system. Companies should therefore check what information they use there. Restraint is recommended, especially with sensitive data.

"Comet is like a researcher who never tires and never forgets a footnote."

Comet stands for knowledge, structure and traceability. It is a valuable companion for Swiss companies that work with facts. Those who publish content that Comet can easily understand and cite not only build reach, but also trust.

Its key features include:

• Direct AI integration: ChatGPT is firmly embedded in the browser. Instead of Google results, Atlas instantly provides answers, summaries and recommendations.
• Contextual interaction: Atlas recognises the content of the current page, understands product data or reviews, and provides relevant explanations.
• Memory function: The browser remembers visited pages and can retrieve information later - without bookmarks or lengthy searches.
• Agent mode: Paid users have access to an automated mode that performs actions such as adding products to the shopping basket or preparing reservations.
• Chrome compatibility: All Chrome extensions work, including VPNs and password managers.

Despite its impressive capabilities, Atlas still has limitations: it is currently only available on macOS, and privacy concerns regarding the memory function continue to be discussed.

"Atlas is no longer a browser – it is your digital assistant at tab level."

Atlas stands for productivity and convenience. While Comet consolidates knowledge, Atlas takes on tasks. For Swiss companies that want to increase their digital efficiency, it opens up a new form of collaboration between humans and machines.

The following table shows the key differences between Atlas and Comet:

* at the time of writing this article.

A direct comparison shows that Atlas is the pragmatic doer, while Comet is the meticulous thinker. Both are changing the way we surf the web, but in different ways. Swiss companies can benefit twice over – Comet as a research aid and Atlas as a digital assistant in everyday life.

"Atlas thinks along with you - Comet thinks for you."

Atlas and Comet are at the beginning of a new generation of browsers. Those who combine them correctly will experience the internet not as a tool, but as a partner.

This opens up enormous potential for Swiss companies:

• Fiduciaries can have documents checked or deadlines monitored, while the browser automatically researches relevant legislative changes.
• Architects can have construction costs, material prices and sustainability reports compared automatically.
• Hairdressers can automate appointment bookings, product orders and email reminders without manual intervention.
• Craft businesses save time by having their browsers request quotes or summarise project descriptions.

This shifts the role of the internet: from a place of information, it becomes a platform for action. The result is a new set of expectations - both among users and customers. Anyone who wants to remain digitally visible must communicate clearly enough that AI systems can recognise the content as a reliable basis and process it further.

Firefox is also currently testing AI features that can be activated optionally. Users can then interact directly with the browser via chat assistants, various LLMs or prompts in a sidebar.

‘Anyone who still clicks today where AI will act tomorrow is working against time.'

The agent economy represents a fundamental change. Swiss companies that start early to open up their processes and content to automated systems will be among the winners in a future where the internet itself is actively working.

Data protection, trust and Swiss standards

Where artificial intelligence works in the browser, the question of security and trust inevitably arises. Both ChatGPT Atlas and Perplexity Comet process large amounts of user data to enable features such as memory, personalisation and context understanding. This may be convenient for private users, but it can be tricky for businesses.

Perplexity Comet collects usage data to improve answers and personalise search results. Click behaviour, search queries and session histories are anonymised but stored centrally. ChatGPT Atlas, on the other hand, stores information locally in what is known as memory mode in order to recognise previous interactions. Both systems thus operate in a field of tension between convenience and control.

Especially in Switzerland, where data protection is a high priority, it is crucial to use these technologies consciously. Since the revision of the Data Protection Act (DSG 2023), stricter guidelines requiring transparency and data minimisation have been in force. Companies should check which browser functions are active and whether they remain compatible with internal data protection guidelines.

Recommended practices for Swiss companies:

• Data minimisation: Only activate the functions that are actually needed.
• Transparency: Inform employees and customers openly about the systems used.
• Check security levels: Use browsers in the company network with clear authorisations.
• Take Swiss standards into account: Use data protection tools, local data storage and regular checks by internal departments.

‘Trust remains the most important currency in the digital age - especially when machines are reading along.'

AI browsers open up new possibilities, but they also demand new responsibilities. Swiss companies that take data protection seriously and establish clear rules not only secure their data, but also the trust of their customers.

Economic dimension: figures only from reliable sources

There are currently no uniform market statistics that isolate and report on the AI browser category globally. For a fact-based classification, we therefore use three recognised reference values: global spending on generative AI, the prevalence of secure enterprise browsers as a related category, and the overall economic effects of generative AI.

• Global spending on generative AI: $644 billion in 2025, up 76.4 per cent from 2024. Source: Gartner. (Gartner)
• Adoption of secure enterprise browsers: By 2028, 25 per cent of organisations will use at least one secure enterprise browser technology. Source: Gartner. (Gartner)
• Global AI IT spending: £1.3 trillion in 2029, driven by agentic AI. Source: IDC. (The Next Platform)
• Economic impact of generative AI: Several trillion US dollars in additional value added per year. Source: McKinsey. (McKinsey & Company)

These figures show that the budget and maturity of adjacent markets are increasing significantly. AI browsers benefit directly from this because they act as an interface for agentic workflows, research and automation.

For Swiss companies, this means that budget shifts towards generative AI and agentic systems are well documented. Those who make AI browsers productive early on and ensure secure configurations will benefit from growing investment budgets and increasing acceptance among decision-makers. (Gartner)

"The journey becomes shorter, the intention clearer. Those who quickly explain what matters remain visible."

Three changes are particularly relevant:

• Answers are moving to the browser. The first interaction no longer takes place on the website, but in an AI-assisted search window.
• Source competence is becoming more important. AI browsers prefer content with clear evidence, structured sections and unambiguous terms.
• Users arrive later, but with greater determination. Less browsing, more specific queries.

What does this mean for websites in the UK?

• Content needs clear headings, short paragraphs and reliable statements.
• Tables, checklists and FAQs make it easier for AI systems to cite.
• Clear entities help the machine: company name, region, service, standards, price unit.
• Internal links should cluster topics neatly so that connections are recognisable.
• References and updated data increase trust and ranking in AI overviews.

Best practices for visible content:

• Each page answers a core question in the first 100 words.
• One table or list per topic to present facts in a compact form.
• Clear practical examples: trust, construction, beauty, repairs.
• Update date visible so that AI systems recognise freshness.
• Use structured data: blog post, FAQ page, organisation.

"Those who provide comprehensibility are recommended. Those who only provide keywords remain in the background."

AI browsers make the internet more efficient. Companies that formulate and substantiate answers precisely will win. The click isn't gone, it comes later - and with a higher purchase intent.

Handlungsempfehlungen für Schweizer Unternehmen

This opens up enormous potential for Swiss companies:

• Fiduciaries can have documents checked or deadlines monitored, while the browser automatically researches relevant legislative changes.
• Architects can have construction costs, material prices and sustainability reports compared automatically.
• Hairdressers can automate appointment bookings, product orders and email reminders without manual intervention.
• Craft businesses save time by having their browsers request quotes or summarise project descriptions.

This shifts the role of the internet: from a place of information, it becomes a platform for action. The result is a new set of expectations - both among users and customers. Anyone who wants to remain digitally visible must communicate clearly enough that AI systems can recognise the content as a reliable basis and process it further.

‘Anyone who still clicks today where AI will act tomorrow is working against time.'

The agent economy represents a fundamental change. Swiss companies that start early to open up their processes and content to automated systems will be among the winners in a future where the internet itself is actively working.

Data protection, trust and Swiss standards

Where artificial intelligence works in the browser, the question of security and trust inevitably arises. Both ChatGPT Atlas and Perplexity Comet process large amounts of user data to enable features such as memory, personalisation and context understanding. This may be convenient for private users, but it can be tricky for businesses.

Perplexity Comet collects usage data to improve answers and personalise search results. Click behaviour, search queries and session histories are anonymised but stored centrally. ChatGPT Atlas, on the other hand, stores information locally in what is known as memory mode in order to recognise previous interactions. Both systems thus operate in a field of tension between convenience and control.

Especially in Switzerland, where data protection is a high priority, it is crucial to use these technologies consciously. Since the revision of the Data Protection Act (DSG 2023), stricter guidelines requiring transparency and data minimisation have been in force. Companies should check which browser functions are active and whether they remain compatible with internal data protection guidelines.

Recommended practices for Swiss companies:

• Data minimisation: Only activate the functions that are actually needed.
• Transparency: Inform employees and customers openly about the systems used.
• Check security levels: Use browsers in the company network with clear authorisations.
• Take Swiss standards into account: Use data protection tools, local data storage and regular checks by internal departments.

‘Trust remains the most important currency in the digital age - especially when machines are reading along.'

AI browsers open up new possibilities, but they also demand new responsibilities. Swiss companies that take data protection seriously and establish clear rules not only secure their data, but also the trust of their customers.

Economic dimension: figures only from reliable sources

There are currently no uniform market statistics that isolate and report on the AI browser category globally. For a fact-based classification, we therefore use three recognised reference values: global spending on generative AI, the prevalence of secure enterprise browsers as a related category, and the overall economic effects of generative AI.

• Global spending on generative AI: $644 billion in 2025, up 76.4 per cent from 2024. Source: Gartner. (Gartner)
• Adoption of secure enterprise browsers: By 2028, 25 per cent of organisations will use at least one secure enterprise browser technology. Source: Gartner. (Gartner)
• Global AI IT spending: £1.3 trillion in 2029, driven by agentic AI. Source: IDC. (The Next Platform)
• Economic impact of generative AI: Several trillion US dollars in additional value added per year. Source: McKinsey. (McKinsey & Company)

These figures show that the budget and maturity of adjacent markets are increasing significantly. AI browsers benefit directly from this because they act as an interface for agentic workflows, research and automation.

For Swiss companies, this means that budget shifts towards generative AI and agentic systems are well documented. Those who make AI browsers productive early on and ensure secure configurations will benefit from growing investment budgets and increasing acceptance among decision-makers. (Gartner)

How AI browsers are changing internet behaviour

AI browsers are shifting the focus from clicks to clarity. Instead of searching for a long time, users receive condensed answers that bundle content from multiple pages. This reduces idle time, lowers the number of misclicks and changes how visitors interact with websites. For companies, this means that visibility arises where content is understandable, verifiable and machine-friendly.

The effect is noticeable in everyday life. Requests that used to take ten minutes are now completed in one minute. Users are less likely to jump between pages, and conversion rates are increasing for offers that are a perfect fit. Anyone looking for a hairdresser in Zurich no longer just gets a list, but a brief evaluation of the most important criteria. Profiles on renovero or search.ch are visited when the need is already specific.

‘The journey is shorter, the intention clearer. Those who quickly explain what matters remain visible.'

Three changes are particularly relevant:

• Answers are moving to the browser. The first interaction no longer takes place on the website, but in an assistance window. Source competence is becoming more important. AI browsers prefer content with clear evidence, structured sections and unambiguous terms. Users arrive later, but more determined. Less browsing, more specific enquiries.

  What does this mean for websites in Switzerland?

  • Content needs clear headings, short paragraphs and reliable statements.
  • Tables, checklists and FAQs make it easier for AI systems to cite.
  • Clear entities help the machine: company name, region, service, standards, price unit.
  • Internal links should cluster topics neatly so that connections are recognisable.
  • References and updated data increase trust and ranking in AI overviews.

  Best practices for visible content:

  • Each page answers a core question in the first 100 words.
  • One table or list per topic to present facts in a compact form.
  • Clear examples from practice: trust, construction, beauty, repairs.
  • Update date visible so that AI systems recognise freshness.
  • Use structured data: blog post, FAQ page, organisation.

  "Those who provide comprehensibility are recommended. Those who only provide keywords remain in the background."

  AI browsers make the internet more efficient. Companies that formulate and substantiate answers precisely will win. The click isn't gone, it comes later - and with a higher purchase intention.

Conclusion: Two tools between automation and authenticity

AI browsers such as ChatGPT Atlas and Perplexity Comet mark the beginning of a new generation of the internet. They are changing the way people search, read and act. While Atlas takes on tasks and automates processes, Comet creates clarity, transparency and depth of knowledge. Both symbolise a world in which artificial intelligence no longer just responds, but understands.

For Swiss companies, this presents a twofold opportunity. On the one hand, they can become more visible through AI Visibility - in browsers that not only display content, but also evaluate it. On the other hand, they can benefit from the new tools themselves to speed up workflows, simplify research and automate routine tasks.

But despite all the technological progress, one thing remains central: trust and authenticity. Customers, partners and machines recognise credibility not by superlatives, but by structure, clarity and honesty. Companies that provide facts and present contexts in an understandable way are preferred by both humans and machines.

"The internet thinks for itself - but humans remain the compass."

The digital future does not belong to the loudest, but to the most understandable. Those who start now to align their communication with AI-based search and AI browsers will shape the visibility of tomorrow.

Ready for the next step? Optimise your content for AI visibility - so that your company can be found, understood and recommended even in the age of artificial intelligence.

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