Your browser isn’t just for browsing anymore—it’s becoming your personal AI assistant. Two major players are redefining what happens when you open that familiar window. Dia just launched its Skills Gallery, a collection of automated shortcuts that handle repetitive tasks, while Perplexity is turning its Comet browser into what CEO Aravind Srinivas calls a “cognitive operating system.” Both represent a fundamental shift from passive web viewing to active digital assistance.
Dia Turns Repetitive Tasks Into One-Click Actions
Dia’s Skills Gallery tackles the mundane stuff that eats your day. Instead of repeatedly typing the same research prompts or content analysis requests, you create shortcuts that execute complex tasks instantly. Need to summarize multiple tabs for a presentation? There’s a skill for that. Want to analyze competitor pricing across different sites? Another skill handles it.
The Browser Company positions this as saving “hours in daily workflows”—and for power users juggling multiple projects, that’s not hyperbole. Your browser becomes more personalized than your Netflix algorithm, learning your specific work patterns and automating accordingly.
Comet Collapses Your Digital Workflow
Perplexity‘s approach goes broader. Comet doesn’t just automate existing browser tasks—it absorbs functions you typically handle in separate apps. Book meetings, fill out forms, compare products, summarize articles, all from the omnibox or sidebar. No more juggling between your calendar app, shopping sites, and research tabs.
This “agentic” functionality means delegating entire workflows to your browser. Tell it to research vacation destinations and book flights, and Comet handles the entire process contextually, maintaining conversation threads about your preferences and constraints.
Your Browsing Experience Gets Smarter
Both browsers address a real frustration: the cognitive overhead of managing multiple digital contexts. You know that moment when you’re deep in research and lose track of which tab contained that crucial detail? These AI-powered features eliminate that friction by understanding context across your entire browsing session.
The trade-off involves trusting these systems with more of your digital decision-making. Comet’s accuracy becomes critical when it’s booking actual flights or scheduling real meetings.
The Catch: Early Days and Limited Access
Dia requires macOS 14+ with Apple‘s M1 chips, limiting its reach. Both browsers remain in early access stages, meaning features might be unstable and interfaces could change dramatically. The broader question remains whether users want their browsers handling this much automation, or if the added complexity outweighs convenience benefits.
These developments signal browsing’s evolution from information consumption to integrated task management. Your next browser might replace half your productivity apps—assuming you’re ready to let it.
