The Browser Is Waking Up

The launch of Perplexity's Comet isn't just a new tool. It's a signal: the era of the passive browser is ending. For decades, browsers have been containers, waiting patiently for users to initiate every step. Comet flips that script. It remembers context, synthesizes information, and acts on behalf of the user. It's the first mainstream step into a future where the browser is not a window, but a collaborator.

This marks the arrival of agentic AI in a space most users touch daily. And for those of us in design, it means a fundamental rethinking of user experience, system trust, and product architecture. Comet is the first of many. The shift is happening fast.

From Input to Initiative

Agentic AI changes the contract between the user and the interface. Instead of issuing one command at a time, users will increasingly delegate goals: "Find the best flights that work with my calendar." "Monitor this trend and brief me weekly." The interface becomes an intermediary that understands intent, acts autonomously, and returns results without requiring micromanagement.

This isn't limited to browsers. Microsoft, Google, and Apple are embedding similar capabilities in operating systems and productivity suites. Startups are embedding agents into vertical tools—data platforms, security dashboards, even HR systems. Wearables and voice assistants are evolving from input devices into context-aware orchestrators. The common thread? Users are beginning to expect initiative from their tools.

UX in the Age of Agents

This shift brings new expectations:

• Immediacy. Users will expect outcomes, not pathways. The value of a product won't just be in how intuitive it is, but in how much work it removes.
• Contextual awareness. Persistence of memory across sessions, tasks, and inputs becomes critical. UX must reflect and reinforce the system's memory and intent.
• Trust and transparency. As systems act on behalf of users, design must expose boundaries, explain decisions, and allow control. This is no longer a nice-to-have; it's core to functionality.

Traditional UI patterns will evolve. Linear workflows and static dashboards give way to conversational threads, live data summaries, agent controls, and intervention points. We’ll need new metaphors. We’ll need to define what it means to design for actions that are suggested, not commanded.

Enterprise Adoption Timeline

Consumer tools will move first. Browsers, productivity apps, and mobile OS layers. But enterprise software is close behind. Early agentic behaviors are already surfacing in sales platforms, developer tools, and knowledge management systems. Expect rapid growth in areas like:

• Analytics & Observability. Agents that surface insights, not just data.
• Operations. Automated triage, workflow coordination, and escalation.
• Customer Experience. Proactive issue resolution, real-time personalization.

I predict that by 2026, most enterprise teams will be evaluating or piloting agentic features. By 2028, they’ll be standard in most business-critical systems. Gartner, PwC, and Forrester all forecast substantial shifts in enterprise application models driven by agents. This is no longer fringe.

What Design Leaders Must Do Now

Design leaders have a short window to move from awareness to action. Here's where to start:

1. Prototype agent flows now. Identify workflows where autonomy adds value. Use design sprints to explore delegation patterns, error handling, and user re-engagement.
2. Define trust frameworks. Partner with legal, security, and compliance early. Co-create standards for transparency, data handling, and user control.
3. Elevate UX writing. In agentic systems, language is UI. Tone, clarity, and context cues carry interaction weight. Invest here.
4. Shift design reviews. Evaluate not just screens, but outcomes. Is the system delivering value with minimal friction? Can users recover and redirect agents easily?
5. Educate cross-functional teams. Product, engineering, and exec stakeholders need to understand agentic UX tradeoffs. Lead that conversation.

This isn't just a technical shift. It's a leadership opportunity. Those who can frame, test, and scale agentic design patterns early will define the next generation of UX.

Beyond Comet

Comet is the catalyst, but the movement is bigger. Agentic AI is becoming an assumption of modern software. As interfaces become active participants, design becomes even more strategic. We're no longer just shaping interactions—we're shaping judgment, delegation, and trust.

This is the moment to lead. Not with speculation, but with prototypes. Not with fear, but with clarity.

The browser is waking up. The rest of the stack will follow.