Perplexity AI Acquires os.ai, Signals Ambitious AI Operating System Vision

In a strategic move that underscores its expansive ambitions beyond search, Perplexity AI has acquired the highly coveted two-letter domain, os.ai. The seller is the prominent entrepreneur and HubSpot co-founder and CTO, Dharmesh Shah, a noted investor in the artificial intelligence space. While the financial terms of the deal were not publicly disclosed, Shah confirmed the transaction and revealed that his existing stake in Perplexity AI has increased as a result.[1][2][3] The domain now redirects to Comet, Perplexity's recently launched agentic browser, signaling a clear intention to build a foundational platform for AI interaction, an "operating system for AI."[3] This acquisition is not merely a digital real estate transaction; it's a declarative statement about Perplexity's vision to fundamentally reshape how users interact with the digital world, moving from a reactive search model to a proactive, task-oriented ecosystem.

The deal between Perplexity and Shah materialized from a public exchange on social media. In March 2025, Shah announced he had purchased os.ai for $150,000, noting it was the only two-character domain he owned and that the concept of an AI operating system was deeply compelling to him.[4][5] Perplexity's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, promptly replied to Shah's post, expressing his interest in buying the domain.[4] This public courtship culminated in the July 2025 acquisition.[2][6] Shah, who has a history of shrewd domain investments, previously sold the premium domain chat.com to OpenAI for a figure reported to be over $15 million, a deal in which he also took a stake in the AI giant.[7][1][8] His decision to sell os.ai to Perplexity and increase his shareholding demonstrates a strong conviction in the company's direction and its potential to become a dominant force.[1][2] Shah has been vocal about the historical shifts in technology, from the PC wars to the battles over browsers and mobile operating systems, viewing the emergence of an AI-native OS as the next logical and "inevitable" evolution.[1][3]

The acquisition of os.ai provides Perplexity with a powerful brand identity that perfectly encapsulates its grander vision. Srinivas has been clear that his company is not just in the "search business" but in the "knowledge business," aiming to build a platform that allows users to accomplish a wide range of tasks seamlessly.[7][1] The concept of an "OS for AI" aligns with this ambition, suggesting a centralized system that can manage information, execute actions, and interact with various services on a user's behalf. This move is seen by industry observers as a bold statement of intent, positioning Perplexity as a challenger not just to search incumbents like Google, but to the very paradigm of how operating systems function in an AI-first world. The domain itself is a strategic asset in an increasingly crowded market. The .ai top-level domain has seen its value skyrocket, with the average price exceeding $6,000, as companies race to signal their focus on artificial intelligence.[9][10] A short, memorable, and conceptually potent domain like os.ai provides a significant branding advantage and reinforces Perplexity's market position as a serious contender in building the next generation of software.[11][12]

Redirecting the newly acquired domain to its Comet browser is a clear indication of Perplexity's strategy. Launched in July 2025, Comet is an "agentic AI browser" built on the open-source Chromium platform.[13][14] Unlike traditional browsers that have simply integrated AI features as add-ons, Comet is designed from the ground up to be a proactive assistant.[15][16] It features a "Comet Assistant" that is context-aware, capable of understanding the content of active web pages, summarizing information, and even executing multi-step tasks like booking meetings or making purchases across different tabs.[15][16] This "agentic" capability is what separates Comet from the pack; it aims to automate workflows and reduce the manual effort of navigating the web.[14][16] By making Comet the destination for os.ai, Perplexity is framing its browser not just as a tool for accessing information, but as the primary interface for its envisioned AI operating system. The browser becomes the central hub where the AI's agentic capabilities are deployed, offering users a glimpse into a future of more integrated and intelligent web interaction.

The acquisition of os.ai and the launch of the Comet browser come at a time of explosive growth and intense competition in the AI sector. Perplexity AI has seen its valuation soar, with reports of a new funding round in May 2025 pushing its valuation to $14 billion.[17][18][19] Backed by major investors including Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, the company has rapidly established itself as a significant player.[20][21] This move to build an "AI OS" places Perplexity in direct competition with the biggest names in technology, who are all vying to define the future of human-computer interaction. The narrative of an operating system for AI is compelling because it speaks to a fundamental shift in computing. As AI models become more capable, the traditional structure of applications and operating systems may become obsolete, replaced by more fluid, conversational, and agent-driven interfaces.[22] Perplexity's strategic acquisition of os.ai is a calculated and ambitious step towards realizing that future, betting that the company can build the foundational platform that will power the next era of digital experience.