You Can Sign up Right Now to Try Opera’s Mysterious AI-Powered Browser
The company behind the Opera browser is launching another AI tool with Opera Neon , an agent-based AI browser. What this essentially means is that it’s a browser with a built-in AI agent that can go beyond answering questions and is said to be able to browse the web for you to help you complete a variety of tasks. This includes helping you plan trips, book vacations, and even build web apps with simple natural-language prompts. Oddly enough, this isn’t Opera’s first foray into agent-based AI, as it follows the announcement of Opera’s standard browser tool, Browser Operator . Browser Operator hasn’t technically been released yet, but it seems the difference is that Neon’s use cases will be a little broader, as the AI will supposedly even be able to generate content in the cloud while you’re offline.
The catch is that Neon isn’t free and is currently invite-only. Opera says it will require a paid subscription to run, and while the company hasn’t revealed pricing or a launch date yet, you can join the waitlist to get notified of details closer to release, as well as queue up for an invite.
Opera claims that you’ll be able to use the built-in AI as a chatbot, and it will be able to search the web for answers for you. It will also be able to perform repetitive tasks, such as filling out forms and making purchases. However, the biggest selling point seems to be its ability to create content. On the Opera Neon website, a sample screenshot shows someone asking the AI to create a “retro snake game” for them.
One of the good things about this product is that it claims to be able to analyze web pages without constantly recording your screen (looking at you, Recall ). Opera also claims that your browsing history, website data, and login information will be stored locally on your computer, which is good for those concerned about privacy.
It goes without saying that all of these features will only be as useful as the AI model is accurate. The last thing I want is for a faceless AI model to book an overpriced hotel in a dubious location, so I’ll take all of these travel planning claims with a grain of salt until I see Neon in action.
While new product launches always attract more attention, the sheer number of recent Opera releases means that its browser lineup is getting a little confusing. Opera’s website currently lists the following browsers: Opera Browser, Opera GX, Opera Air, and Opera Mini. That makes Opera Neon the fifth product in the lineup. Each has its own specialty, but I’m starting to feel a little choice paralysis here.