Deutsche Telekom continued to blaze a trail for its so-called AI phone, deepening ties with US software company Perplexity AI by making its Comet browser available to some users of the device.

The operator highlighted pent-up demand for Comet, stating 1.5 million people globally are on a waiting list to access the browser. Deutsche Telekom explained people in the US gained access in July and it is now opening the door for users of the Perplexity Pro service in Germany.

A hand holds a smartphone with a bright magenta screen displaying the time 08:47 and date "Do., 14. Aug." The phone interface has simple icons, and the background is brightly lit with pink and magenta tones.

Deutsche Telekom began providing free access to Perplexity Pro for one year in 2024 through its MagentaMoments loyalty scheme and is making the chatbot a stalwart of its T Phone 3 by bundling an 18-month licence.

Perplexity VP of business Ryan Foutty said Deutsche Telekom was its first choice when looking to broaden the list of countries where Comet is available.

Comet “acts as a personal AI assistant in your browser”, Deutsche Telekom explained, handling functions including scheduling, trip planning and general queries.

Board member and MD of Telekom Deutschland Rodrigo Diehl (pictured) said the browser is another step in the operator’s mission to “democratise AI and make it available to everyone”.