Another Crazy Day in AI: Browsers Are the New Battlefield
- Wowza Team
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 16
Hello, AI Enthusiasts.
As the week picks up pace, new AI experiments are shaping how we browse, hire, and get work done.
The browser wars just got a new contender. Comet is here—a browser that doesn’t just search, it helps you think. Emails, requests, side-by-side support... if you’re okay giving up a little control.
Also changing things: job seekers are rewriting how they present themselves when AI’s doing the hiring. According to new research, some of the most human qualities might be getting filtered out.
And tens of thousands of city employees are now working alongside AI tools built to save time, cut friction, and better serve the public.
Here's another crazy day in AI:
Google faces browser competition
The influence of AI on candidate self-presentation
SF rolls out Copilot AI for 30,000 city workers
Some AI tools to try out
TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: Can New Browsers Compete With Google
Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)
What if Google’s biggest competition isn’t another search engine but the browser itself?
CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa explores this in a recent segment for Money Movers, where she shares a closer look at Perplexity’s new browser, Comet, and the larger competition brewing in the AI space. With OpenAI reportedly developing its own browser and Elon Musk’s Grok 4 entering the scene, traditional web interfaces may soon give way to tools that don't just help you browse, they help you decide, respond, and manage information across platforms.
Bosa gives an early walkthrough of Comet, which includes an embedded assistant capable of scanning emails, identifying LinkedIn requests, and staying docked as a sidebar while you navigate online. The idea is to make the browser a more proactive partner, one that can help filter noise and prioritize tasks. But that functionality comes with a tradeoff. It only works when granted broad access to your personal accounts. That friction between convenience and control is already surfacing, especially as some users report errors in tasks like booking or scheduling.
What's different about these browsers
Comet's assistant can automatically sort through Gmail to identify subscription lists you might want to unsubscribe from and review LinkedIn connection requests for noteworthy contacts
The browser maintains an active sidebar assistant that stays available while browsing, reducing the need to juggle multiple tabs for different tasks
Users must approve extensive access to personal accounts including email, social media, and other services for the browser to function properly
Some users have encountered issues with the technology making mistakes during complex tasks like booking appointments or making reservations
OpenAI is reportedly preparing to launch their own browser in the coming weeks, which could significantly expand the reach of this technology
The browsers represent a departure from traditional browsing where users actively search for information to one where the browser anticipates and manages tasks
Elon Musk's Grok 4 launch includes plans for potential integration into Tesla vehicles, creating another avenue for AI-powered browsing experiences
Industry experts are waiting for independent benchmark results before fully validating performance claims about these new systems
The privacy implications are already creating hesitation among potential users. Bosa described having to approve "a very uncomfortable amount of access" to her personal accounts to test Comet's full capabilities. This reluctance highlights a fundamental challenge these companies face: the more personal data they can access, the more useful their browsers become, but the higher the barrier to user adoption. Companies like Apple may have an advantage here because users already trust them with significant personal information across their devices and services.
The competitive landscape is becoming increasingly complex. While traditional competition focused on building better search algorithms or faster browsers, these new tools are attempting to redefine the entire browsing experience. Instead of users actively searching for information, these browsers would proactively manage, organize, and present relevant data. However, the technology remains in its early stages, with users reporting reliability issues during more demanding tasks. The success of these browsers will likely depend on whether they can deliver consistent, accurate results while building sufficient user trust to overcome privacy concerns. The stakes are high—whoever controls the interface through which people access and interact with online information could reshape the digital landscape in ways that extend far beyond traditional search and browsing.
Watch the full report here.
OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:
The Influence of AI on Candidate Self-Presentation
/Jonas Goergen, Emanuel de Bellis, and Anne-Kathrin Klesse, on Harvard Business Review
A new study spanning over 13,000 participants reveals a surprising consequence of AI in hiring: job candidates strategically adjust how they present themselves when they know AI is evaluating them. Specifically, candidates tend to highlight analytical traits and suppress soft skills like empathy and creativity—traits often essential for great leadership and innovation. This behavioral shift may distort hiring outcomes, narrow the talent pool, and unintentionally favor homogeneity over diversity. As AI tools become more common in recruitment, the authors call for greater transparency, regular audits, and hybrid human-AI evaluations to preserve authenticity and broaden organizational potential.
Read more here.
SF Rolls Out Copilot AI for 30,000 City Workers
/Kate Rogers, Restaurant & Small Business Correspondent, on CNBC
San Francisco is deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot—powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o—to 30,000 city employees, including frontline workers like nurses and social workers. After a successful pilot with 2,000 employees showing up to five hours of weekly productivity gains, the city is scaling the initiative to improve administrative efficiency and public services. The AI assistant will help with tasks like data analysis, report generation, and real-time translation in a city where over 40 languages are spoken. Mayor Daniel Lurie hopes this bold move positions San Francisco as a global model for responsible, impactful AI adoption in government.
Read more here.
SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:
That’s a wrap on today’s Almost Daily craziness.
Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉
EXCITING NEWS:
The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is on LinkedIn!!!
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