Exploring the New Era of AI-Powered Browsers
At least twice a year, I’ll download a new browser, open it up, and see if the web looks better through a different window. It never does — or at least it didn’t until recently. We’ve entered a new era of AI-powered browsers. They have names like Comet, Dia, and Neon, and they all make the same promise: to do things for you on the web.
The web is broken, increasingly full of AI slop, and surfing it sucks. This leads to the question: should AI agents do the searching, clicking, and thinking instead? Perhaps they can speed things up by summarizing news articles, filling out forms, or buying groceries. One of the latest introductions is ChatGPT Atlas, which OpenAI launched on Tuesday. It operates as a search engine of sorts, replacing the ubiquitous Google Search bar at the top with a ChatGPT prompt box. Even Google Chrome has updated its features to include Gemini as a sidekick that will follow you around the web and offer explanations, reminiscent of Clippy but arguably more beneficial.
If you can get past the irony of AI agents navigating through AI-generated content, the sales pitch for this new approach to web browsing is enticing. So far, however, as with AI in general, the promises don’t quite match the reality of the software. I’ve tried the agentic AI features in all of these new browsers, and I can confirm that none can outperform the efficiency I achieve with my eyeballs and fingertips.
Nevertheless, I can see the vague outlines of a better web through these browser windows—one that’s more natural to use and less cluttered with pop-ups and unwanted ads. In fact, it resembles the experience of using Google Chrome nearly 20 years ago when it first hit the market.
The AI Browsing Experience
The experience of using these AI-first browsers is notably similar, both to each other and to existing browsers. Aesthetically, they largely resemble Chrome due to their foundation on the Chromium platform, an open-source project initiated by Google. However, the primary distinction is the generative AI chatbot integrated into the interface.
You can ask the chatbot questions about the content on your current page, including calendars and emails. These chatbots can draft text for you or collect information, while also learning about your preferences over time. Generally, there are both free and paid versions of these browsers available, with basic features—like webpage summarization—largely accessible for free. To access the more advanced agentic AI features and increased memory, you’ll typically need to invest around $20 a month for pro accounts such as ChatGPT Atlas or Perplexity’s Comet. Notably, Neon, offered by Opera, also has a $20 subscription model but is currently invite-only, while Dia has yet to introduce agents.
One of the most significant changes in the AI-first browser experience is the reduced reliance on Google. For as long as many of us can remember, online searches have begun with Google Search, often leading to a cluttered list of blue links or, occasionally, the information you need in formats such as maps or videos. In contrast, the AI browsers promise better-organized results, often presented in clear bullet points or structured paragraphs depending on your query. Google’s traditional search results page has increasingly become cluttered with ads, spam, and affiliate links.
Even if you’re not keen on having an AI agent book your next vacation, it’s undeniably easier to ask ChatGPT for budget-friendly hotels near the best beaches in Maui than it is to search for results on Google. The expectation is that when using an AI-first browser like ChatGPT Atlas, you’ll receive results tailored to your previous interactions with the chatbot, thus promoting a more personalized browsing experience.
Looking Back at Chrome
Reflecting back to internet history, this idea echoes the original premise of Google Chrome. When Google first rolled out Chrome in 2008, it touted the browser as “streamlined and simple,” particularly due to the ability to initiate a Google Search right from a dedicated box at the top. By 2011, they had introduced a sign-in feature, allowing personal data to follow users seamlessly across devices. However, this personal data ultimately fueled Google’s advertising algorithms, leading to an influx of personalized ads and increasingly cluttered search results.
Despite maintaining a dominant share in both search (around 90%) and web browsers (approximately 70%), many users today express dissatisfaction with the Google Search experience. Likewise, enthusiasm for Google Chrome as the gateway to the web seems to be waning, leaving many to question its utility. Personally, I switched to Safari years ago when Chrome began to feel sluggish, coinciding with Google’s growing legal issues.
Interestingly, these AI-powered browsers invoke memories of Chrome in its formative years. In many ways, AI-first browsers can be seen as an overhaul—similar to Chrome’s original redesign of web browsing workflows. AI-first browsers speed up user interactions by allowing you to converse with a chatbot rather than simply entering keywords in a search bar. This fundamentally simplifies and streamlines the browsing experience.
I acknowledge that chatbots aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It took time for me to adapt and understand how to leverage this new technology effectively, and I continue discovering novel applications for tools like ChatGPT daily. That said, I foresee myself remaining a loyal Safari user, relying on Google for various searches.
While AI browsers don’t yet deliver on all their promises, they hold the potential for a better web—one that is cleaner and faster. However, it’s worth noting that companies like OpenAI may ultimately prioritize monetizing user data, similar to how Google has done in the past. Indications of this transition are already emerging.
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