The way we navigate the internet is changing — and AI browsers are forging the path. Instead of showing the classic list of blue links, AI browsers can read, summarize and act on information for you, turning the web from a passive resource into an interactive tool that works on your behalf. They’re designed to automate a variety of tasks, from finding the best shopping deals to digesting complex articles in seconds.
AI Browser Definition
AI browsers are web browsers that use AI agents, or AI systems that can autonomously complete complicated, multi-step actions on behalf of a user. These browsers can then track user behavior to learn a user’s preferences and automate actions to serve those preferences in real time.
The buzz around these things is unmistakable: Perplexity has an AI browser, Microsoft’s Edge is packed with new AI features and OpenAI has released its own browser, Atlas. The promise of a smoother, more intuitive web browsing experience possesses an irresistible pull, but it can’t be fulfilled without sacrificing personal privacy in the process.
As more tech companies jump on the AI browser bandwagon, we’re taking a closer look at how these tools could change the way we interact with the online world — for better and for worse.
What Is an AI Browser?
AI browsers are web browsers that use AI models to analyze user behavior and autonomously complete actions that address a user’s needs in real time. In response to users’ queries, traditional browsers merely display static lists of blue links that lead to individual web pages. An AI browser goes further, summarizing web pages, suggesting other relevant articles and using context from previous inquiries to answer follow-up questions.
However, what really sets AI browsers apart from their traditional counterparts is their use of AI agents — AI systems that can execute complex, multi-step tasks on behalf of a user without relying on rules or constant human oversight. As agentic AI progresses, AI browsers can act as intelligent assistants that automatically respond to emails, add specific items to an online shopping cart, make restaurant reservations and more.
Top AI Browsers to Know
Google’s Chrome remains the main browser to beat, but several AI browsers have emerged as viable alternatives.
Atlas
The launch of Atlas marks OpenAI’s entry into the web browser space. It integrates ChatGPT as a built-in feature that users can access while navigating the internet, providing contextual summaries and direct answers instead of traditional search results. Users who opt-in can get personalized assistance based on their browsing history, as well. Premium subscribers also have access to Agent Mode, a feature that autonomously handles multi-step tasks such as creating recipes and ordering the required ingredients.
- Main features: Built-in ChatGPT integration for conversational browsing; instant, AI-generated summaries and answers; optional browser memories for personalized assistance; Agent Mode for completing multi-step tasks like planning, research, and online shopping.
- Best for: ChatGPT users, AI-assisted research and everyday browsing.
Google Chrome
While not officially an AI browser, Chrome has been outfitted with AI features to stay competitive. Past updates have enabled users to conduct visual searches with Google Lens, compare products across websites and conversationally search for previously visited websites. Chrome has also deeply incorporated Gemini as a personal assistant that can gather context from web pages to address user queries and engage in deeper conversations.
- Main features: Access to Gemini as an AI assistant; visual searches with Google Lens; conversational searches for previous web pages.
- Best for: Google Workspace users, personal use, productivity.
Perplexity Comet
Launched in July 2025, Comet is an AI web browser that can perform complex tasks like shopping for ingredients to fulfill a recipe, calculating routes to different destinations in a maps app and generating summaries of videos. Users can access Perplexity’s search engine as well, using an “Assistant feature” to get fast answers and translations. And Comet can link to popular apps like Google Calendar and Gmail to help with scheduling needs.
- Main features: Access to Perplexity search engine in “Assistant” mode; summaries for web pages and videos; integrations with Gmail and other apps to organize scheduling.
- Best for: Perplexity users, personal use, academic research, productivity.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft’s Edge browser has long leveraged AI and machine learning to detect and block scareware attacks, but its latest version takes those capabilities even further. The update introduces a new Copilot assistant mode, which users can easily toggle on or off. Copilot can handle practical tasks like unsubscribing from unwanted emails or picking up where users left off in previous searches. Edge also has an integrated chatbot, which can summarize web pages, deliver news and weather briefs, generate images and respond to voice commands in more than 40 languages.
- Main features: Built-in Copilot assistant for task automation; AI-powered tools for summarizing web pages and managing emails; integrated chatbot with voice command support in over 40 languages.
- Best for: Microsoft 365 users, multitaskers, professionals seeking AI-powered productivity and security.
Dia
Built by The Browser Company, Dia can analyze users’ writing to offer suggestions, generate summaries from videos, compare items based on image inputs and more. The browser also prioritizes data privacy, only sharing user data with partners that are legally obligated not to use that data to train their models. Dia is currently in beta and is only available to Apple users who have a macOS 14 with an M1 chip or later.
- Main features: Writing suggestions; summaries for written and visual content; customized data privacy controls.
- Best for: Mac users with macOS 14 or later, writing, learning, data privacy.
Arc Max
Another creation of The Browser Company, Arc Max is meant to help users navigate the internet more quickly. Users can hold down “Command + F” to ask Max questions on every web page, hover over links to preview summaries of each page and rename and organize their tabs for convenience. In addition, those with a ChatGPT account can type “ChatGPT” into the command bar to submit queries to the chatbot.
- Main features: On-page questions; preview summaries of each page; tab naming and organization features; access to ChatGPT.
- Best for: ChatGPT users, personal use, productivity.
Brave Leo AI
Leo AI is incorporated into Brave’s search engine, acting as a smart AI assistant that can answer questions in real time. It can also process documents like Google Docs, Google Sheets and PDFs, delivering summaries and insights. As a product of Brave, Leo emphasizes user privacy as well — it doesn’t require an account or login credentials, save and share chats or keep user data to train its language models.
- Main features: Real-time answers on any web page; document analysis and insights; privacy security measures.
- Best for: Brave users, personal use, productivity, data privacy.
Opera
Opera is compatible with a range of devices, including Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook and Linux. Users can sort tabs into groups, access messenger apps in the sidebar and leverage private browsing with Opera’s free virtual private network (VPN). For even simpler browsing, users can activate Opera’s AI agent, Aria, to more easily command tabs, generate images, compare products and more.
- Main features: Tab organization features; access to popular messenger apps; free VPN; access to AI agent Aria.
- Best for: Personal use, productivity, creatives, data privacy.
Fellou
Labeled as “the world’s first agentic browser,” Fellou can automate complex workflows across more than 50 platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and GitHub. The browser lets users drag, drop, copy and paste information to deliver commands, with the option to return to previous moments along a digital timeline. As a result, Fellou can evaluate public and private data across platforms and documents to generate reports and insights.
- Main features: Ability to connect to more than 50 platforms; actionable reports; digital timeline; drag-and-drop features.
- Best for: Businesses, productivity, marketers.
Why Are AI Browsers Becoming So Popular?
Several developments are fueling the growth of AI browsers. Chief among them is the shifting competition landscape: A months-long antitrust case against Google may force the search giant to sell its Chrome browser, loosening its control over the market. This could open the door for other AI companies to attract more users and monetize their attention through targeted advertising — a strategy Google mastered to become one of the world’s most valuable companies. In fact, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas has admitted that collecting personal data is the whole point of its AI browser Comet, with the goal of building more detailed user profiles to further personalize online ads.
But the key factor that’s given AI browsers a major boost is the “rise of AI agents,” according to Jason Mayes, Web AI Lead at Google.
“There is high potential for low-hanging fruit that could lead to significant efficiencies for end users of a browser that can make the things they do frequently simpler and faster,” Mayes told Built In. “Not to mention there is, by nature of the web browser itself, an inherent ability to perform more complex cross-domain tasks if signed in to multiple sites.”
AI agents complement traditional browsers’ existing features, automating various workflows to facilitate a more frictionless user experience. Combine this with lucrative advertising opportunities in the wake of a looming Google break-up, and there’s never been a better time to launch an AI browser that can challenge Chrome’s dominance.
Benefits of AI Browsers
Most AI browsers come with a suite of features designed to support a more efficient and tailored search experience, among other advantages.
Greater Personalization
An AI browser can track a user’s online activity and learn from their habits. It can then offer personalized recommendations for relevant web pages, articles, videos and more based on frequently visited sites. For example, a user who regularly visits a landing page for a chatbot may get recommendations for other popular chatbots.
More Natural Interactions
AI browsers can process natural language queries, providing relevant results for questions that have spelling errors or are unfinished. Even then, users may not need to rely on written queries, since many AI browsers can also process verbal questions or visual inputs. The goal is to replace the traditional list of links with a more seamless, conversational search experience.
Increased Productivity
Instead of clicking and scrolling through various web pages to find information, users can rely on AI browsers to quickly generate summaries of pages that capture the main points, and even translate text into different languages as needed. AI-powered browsers can automate other tasks as well, like replying to emails and making reservations, improving users’ productivity as a whole.
Stronger Security
Because AI browsers keep track of users’ habits, they can naturally identify and neutralize abnormal activity like unusual downloads and visits to suspicious websites. AI browsers can also detect phishing attacks in real time and customize privacy settings so that user data remains anonymous, forming an extra layer of security.
Challenges of AI Browsers
Although AI browsers promise to increase efficiency and productivity for users, this may come at the expense of personal online privacy.
Data Privacy Violations
For AI browsers to be effective, they need to compile user data across different sites and personal devices. But not everyone may be comfortable with providing this kind of in-depth access and sharing data about their online habits. And AI browsers could come into conflict with data privacy laws as well.
Cyber Threats
The fact that AI browsers are designed to gather troves of personal user data only makes them a larger target for cyber attacks. If they’re able to infiltrate these browsers, hackers can then take advantage of AI browsers’ capabilities to conduct even broader attacks that are complex, automated and difficult to detect.
Web Publisher Conflicts
Websites rely on user traffic to convince companies to pay for ads or links in the hopes of reaching a site’s audience. But AI browsers threaten to upend this model by summarizing web pages. Although this saves users from having to visit each page, it eliminates websites’ source of income, prompting some publishers to push back against (and even sue) the companies making AI browsers.
Ethical Questions
AI browsers pose various ethical dilemmas, particularly in the legal realm. While lawyers already use AI to complete specific tasks, giving an AI browser access across personal devices could challenge concepts like “client confidentiality.” As a result, those working in professions that deal with sensitive matters need to exercise caution when using AI browsers.
AI Browsers and the Future of Web Browsing
Web browsing is undoubtedly heading in the direction of AI, with more tech companies integrating intelligent features into their existing browsers or releasing new, AI-based browsers altogether. Emboldened by this building momentum, Perplexity has even put forward an offer to buy Chrome in the midst of Google’s antitrust lawsuit — a move that would almost guarantee the web browser’s transition to an AI-first approach.
The question then becomes how AI browsers could evolve as they become more embedded in users’ everyday lives. Considering how AI browsers use agents to create a customized browsing experience, it’s likely they’ll use personal data to learn even more about a user’s preferences and adjust their actions accordingly.
“Maybe even the content that comes back is presented by the agent in an optimal UX based on the user’s personal preferences,” Mayes said. “More visual user? Maybe you get graphs and charts. More detail-oriented? Maybe you get more raw tabular data.”
It remains to be seen how exactly AI browsers will progress, especially as AI agents develop more advanced capabilities. Either way, the days of browsing through pages of blue links appear to be coming to an end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are AI browsers safe?
AI browsers can be used to identify unusual activity and neutralize cyber attacks, supporting a safer browsing experience. However, they do collect personal data, raising questions around data privacy and making them a bigger target for hackers. Research an AI browser before using it, and double-check what privacy settings it offers to understand any potential risks.
Will AI browsers replace Google?
It’s unclear whether AI browsers will overtake Google. The company has equipped its Chrome browser with a number of AI features to stay competitive. But an antitrust lawsuit could weaken Google to the point where an AI company like Perplexity could overtake Chrome. Given this context, Chrome may well evolve into a top AI browser, but Google’s dominance in the browser sector at large is much less certain.
Which AI browsers are best for privacy?
Brave’s Leo browser is an excellent option for those who prioritize security because it doesn’t require an account, store chats or train its models on user data. Other AI browsers that come with helpful security measures include Dia and Opera.
