In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping everything from how we work to how we shop, it’s no surprise that the humble web browser is the next battleground. The familiar comfort of Chrome, Firefox, and Safari is being challenged by a new generation of AI-first browsers that aim to fundamentally change how we interact with the internet. And this time, they might just have a real shot at doing it.
Leading the charge is Opera Neon, a browser that sounds more like a science fiction experiment than a traditional web tool. Released with relatively little fanfare, Neon is being billed as “a browser for the agentic web”—a term that suggests your browser is no longer a passive window, but an active partner. Think of it as a co-pilot that not only helps you navigate the web but actually does things for you—like build a working website while you’re binge-watching Netflix.
Yes, seriously.
Neon is structured around three core pillars: Chat, Do, and Make, each designed to reimagine different parts of the browsing experience.
Build Websites While You Scroll
“Make” is perhaps the boldest of the trio. Rather than returning a wall of links when you ask for something, Neon interprets your request and generates full-on web apps, articles, or interactive content—spinning up cloud-based virtual machines that keep working even after you close the tab. Return hours later and your project could be finished and ready to deploy.
This isn’t just theoretical. Opera claims its browser can take a prompt like, “Make me a budgeting app for freelancers,” and deliver a fully working tool, complete with backend functionality. It’s a major leap from the copy-paste templates we’ve grown used to.
Automation That Understands Context
“Do” tackles another universal frustration: web tasks. While task automation isn’t new, Neon’s implementation promises to be far smarter. Rather than relying on static scripts, Neon builds dynamic “interaction maps” of popular websites—essentially learning how sites work and adapting its behavior accordingly. So if you regularly search for concert tickets, check flight prices, or fill out government forms, Neon could automate the steps intelligently, saving time and reducing friction.
The Browser You Can Talk To
And then there’s “Chat”—arguably the most natural extension of AI in browsers. Instead of typing rigid search terms or clicking through endless tabs, you just talk to Neon in plain English (or Japanese, or Spanish). It maintains context across different languages, remembers what you’re discussing, and follows up accordingly. Ask it to explain a concept, summarize a long article, or even guide you through a legal document—and it responds in a way that feels like a tech-savvy assistant rather than a dumb search bar.
Of course, all this bleeding-edge tech comes at a cost. Neon won’t be free. It runs on a subscription model, which might feel like a tough sell in a world where browsers are expected to be free. But given the backend complexity—spinning up cloud compute for every “Make” request, using APIs for automation, and tapping into enterprise-grade language models for chat—it makes sense.
Why This Time Feels Different
We’ve seen browsers try and fail to take on Chrome before. Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi—they’ve all chipped away at Google’s dominance, but none have truly threatened it. What makes this wave of AI browsers different is the magnitude of change they’re proposing. They aren’t just refining the browsing experience; they’re reimagining it.
And Opera isn’t alone. The Browser Company recently scrapped its beloved Arc browser to focus entirely on Dia, its own AI-first product that emphasizes collaboration between users and tabs—almost like turning your browser into a workspace with superpowers.
The market share for these upstarts remains tiny. For now. But if even a fraction of users find real value in these AI features—and especially if they make people feel more empowered and productive online—it could mark the beginning of a long-overdue shift.
So yes, the browser wars are back. But this time, they’re not about speed or security. They’re about intelligence. And it’s going to be fascinating to watch.
