Arc Search for iPhone Merges AI and Web Search in a Browser App

[MacRumors]

The Browser Company has released a new iPhone app called Arc Search that aims to reimagine the online search experience by using artificial experience to present web results in a more easily digestible, curated presentation.

The app follows the company's Arc Browser for Mac, and could be described as an AI chat bot with web access (think perplexity.ai), wrapped in a clean, minimalist browser interface that quickly builds webpages on the fly based on your search query.

The app opens with a search bar and keyboard, and its main AI-powered feature, "Browse for me," reads at least six websites and returns key information about the search query in a neatly presented webpage.

For example, when searching "How to change a car tyre," Arc Search creates a page with sections including steps for changing the tyre, safety precautions, necessary tools, positioning the car, and fitting the spare wheel, with links for further reading.

While Arc Search webpages don't always cite sources, the app does feature a "Dive Deeper" section at the bottom of the page so users can check whether the information that is being delivered to them is credible.

Apart from the "Search for me" feature, which is powered by large-language models from OpenAI and others, users can opt to search with more traditional services like Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia.

In addition, there's a reader mode for clearing cruft from websites, along with the ability to bookmark pages. To keep things tidy, Arc Search also archives tabs after a user-defined period, and blocks GDPR banners and ads/trackers automatically.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1751734580124787028

Arc Search is available for free on the App Store [Direct Link] and requires iOS 16 or later, while Arc Browser for Mac can be downloaded from the company's website.

Article Link: Arc Search for iPhone Merges AI and Web Search in a Browser App

 

[paulvee]

No desire for a browser that browses for me.

 

[DFZD]

Its an interesting concept but it solves a problem that not many seem to be having. There are so many issues that need to be resolved and AI can help with them. Not this though, it could help build the dev a better resume though.

 

[Will Co]

I'm concerned enough already about the manipulation of the information we all consume on a daily basis without having an AI warp it for me even further. No thanks. I'll use my brain, biases and faults and all.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

Considering these "AI" tools are pretty much just smart maths that provides its output based on probability of being "correct", I'd absolutely not be trusting it to tell me how to change a car wheel, and neither should anyone else.

Arc's a great browser, but I won't be touching their latest app at all.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I don't want more AI in my daily life.

No thank you.

 

[tubuliferous]

No desire for a browser that browses for me.

Oh man...I most definitely want this! I already use ChatGPT to do most of my web searching now. My search engine use has probably gone down by around 75% in the last year.

This seems to me the logical next step for Internet navigation, especially now that results from search engines are getting worse due to spam. Even if search engines weren't getting worse, browsing would still go the way of generative AI, and I'm all for it.

Incidentally, I may have misunderstood something about generative AI (something that I hope is true). I was worried that biases and disinformation online would disrupt the truthfulness of the LLM AIs, but it seems that they may be robust to the nonsense because they read everything. Why are experts better at sorting the likely true bits from the likely false? Are they simply better-read than the rest of us in their particular areas?

Maybe future LLM AIs (perhaps paired with some explicit ability to form models and check for internal inconsistencies...if those features don't already organically emerge in LLM training) will become true experts by virtue of being so well-read.

 

[one more]

With all the AI craze we will probably see these browsers popping up like mushrooms after the rain. I will wait to see what Apple are up to with their iOS 18 boosted Siri.

 

[LightProtector]

If you ignore the AI, the browser itself is very fluid and snappy. I’m actually preferring it over Safari right now. But it is pretty bare bones.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Oh man...I most definitely want this! I already use ChatGPT to do most of my web searching now. My search engine use has probably gone down by around 75% in the last year.

Same

This seems to me the logical next step for Internet navigation, especially now that results from search engines are getting worse due to spam. Even if search engines weren't getting worse, browsing would still go the way of generative AI, and I'm all for it.

This is a golden age for this though, make no mistake. The monetization, and therefore ******tification (mods you gotta make an exception for ens-h-i-t-tification, it’s too good of a word), is coming. Enjoy it while it lasts. It might get a little better, but it won’t take long to start clawing all the value out of it.

Incidentally, I may have misunderstood something about generative AI (something that I hope is true). I was worried that biases and disinformation online would disrupt the truthfulness of the LLM AIs, but it seems that they may be robust to the nonsense because they read everything. Why are experts better at sorting the likely true bits from the likely false? Are they simply better-read than the rest of us in their particular areas?

Maybe future LLM AIs (perhaps paired with some explicit ability to form models and check for internal inconsistencies...if those features don't already organically emerge in LLM training) will become true experts by virtue of being so well-read.

More likely future AIs will be more restricted and not allowed to read everything. They will have strict training sets. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some regulation or market form of restricting general purpose AIs. Why have one that can do everything when you can make more money selling specialist ones. At first that may work better, the true expert system, know everything about one subject and very quickly retrieve it without having to know everything. We already see OpenAI starting this with the GPT store. And we may see the government decide that generally trained AIs are too powerful and restrict them.

Maybe I’m cynical. Or maybe I’ve just been around for too many cycles now.

 

[phgreer]

I love the Browser Company!!!

 

[coffeemilktea]

Considering how many useless results Google returns these days, I'm glad someone finally made a decent search app.

(is this a peek at "what if Siri actually becomes good?" 🤔)

 

[dabi]

Can't wait for the whole "AI" fad to be over, the way NFT fad finally died.

 

[Paradoxally]

Can't wait for the whole "AI" fad to be over, the way NFT fad finally died.

That won't happen. Unlike NFTs, AI is actually useful for many users and businesses.

 

[Populus]

I’ve been toying a bit with it, and unfortunately, the only search engine it uses is Google. I haven’t found a way to change it to DuckDuckGo.

 

[Populus]

With all the AI craze we will probably see these browsers popping up like mushrooms after the rain. I will wait to see what Apple are up to with their iOS 18 boosted Siri.

I’m really eager to see what Apple comes with, as well. However, maybe for iOS 18 and macOS 15 is still a bit early for a slow paced company such as Apple.

The popularity of LLMs has only exploded in 2023, and Apple wasn’t too interested, -I think, that’s just my guess- in that sort of technology before the success of companies such as OpenAI. Actually, we only started hearing that Apple was focusing on AI for the past few months.

If my conjecture is accurate, Apple has been working on LLM for less than two years, maybe for even less than one year, and I’m not sure this new technology can be implemented on something as complex as iOS/iPadOS/macOS.

There’s also the issue of local processing thanks to the Neural Engine. Not all Macs have that.

I’m really eager to see LLMs embedded on our operating systems in the style of Microsoft Copilot. But I feel like it’s still too soon for a company like Apple.

 

[sleven]

Considering these "AI" tools are pretty much just smart maths that provides its output based on probability of being "correct", I'd absolutely not be trusting it to tell me how to change a car wheel, and neither should anyone else.

Arc's a great browser, but I won't be touching their latest app at all.

I think I understand your analogy, but it’s not a great one.

Changing a car wheel is a standard process that’s been around for 100 years. It’s very safe to assume that an AI trained on mechanics and automobile manuals could properly recreate the same set of instructions - on an easy-to-follow website - for any user.

I think the same applies to most common aspects that require no specialized degree.

 

[sleven]

That won't happen. Unlike NFTs, AI is actually useful for many users and businesses.

I agree, but I the the OP you replied to is probably suggesting the “craze” that surrounds it. The buzz words and the like.

Yes, ai is around to stay, but as we sit back and appreciate what it can do, we start to realize some of this was already happening before ChatGPT and OpenAI were caught by the media storm and became a household topic.

 

[Analog Kid]

artificial experience

I hope that's a typo and not a new phrase this company is pushing. That doesn't sound desirable at all.

 

[thebeans]

The Browser Company has released a new iPhone app called Arc Search that aims to reimagine the online search experience by using artificial experience to present web results in a more easily digestible, curated presentation.

The app follows the company's Arc Browser for Mac, and could be described as an AI chat bot with web access (think perplexity.ai), wrapped in a clean, minimalist browser interface that quickly builds webpages on the fly based on your search query.

The app opens with a search bar and keyboard, and its main AI-powered feature, "Browse for me," reads at least six websites and returns key information about the search query in a neatly presented webpage.

For example, when searching "How to change a car tyre," Arc Search creates a page with sections including steps for changing the tyre, safety precautions, necessary tools, positioning the car, and fitting the spare wheel, with links for further reading.

While Arc Search webpages don't always cite sources, the app does feature a "Dive Deeper" section at the bottom of the page so users can check whether the information that is being delivered to them is credible.

Apart from the "Search for me" feature, which is powered by large-language models from OpenAI and others, users can opt to search with more traditional services like Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia.

In addition, there's a reader mode for clearing cruft from websites, along with the ability to bookmark pages. To keep things tidy, Arc Search also archives tabs after a user-defined period, and blocks GDPR banners and ads/trackers automatically.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1751734580124787028

Arc Search is available for free on the App Store [Direct Link] and requires iOS 16 or later, while Arc Browser for Mac can be downloaded from the company's website.

Article Link: Arc Search for iPhone Merges AI and Web Search in a Browser App

“artificial experience “????

 

[zach-coleman]

I liked Arc when it was new but I'm concerned about how much they're pivoting to AI features. I wouldn't trust what these results say for anything and it seems slower than just checking yourself. The real time demos are absurdly slow.

 

[ItWasNotMe]

How to train an AI chatbot, but not necessarily as the owning company intended
1. Make it swear
2. Make it recommend other companies...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68025677

 

[joedec]

Sad part is the answer is WRONG! You tighten the nuts using a star pattern ...

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

I think I understand your analogy, but it’s not a great one.

Changing a car wheel is a standard process that’s been around for 100 years. It’s very safe to assume that an AI trained on mechanics and automobile manuals could properly recreate the same set of instructions - on an easy-to-follow website - for any user.

I think the same applies to most common aspects that require no specialized degree.

That's the point, it is not safe to assume anything at all when it comes to current generation generative AI systems.

My point can be proven by Arc's screenshots - fully tightening a wheel bolt is actually extremely dangerous, they must be specifically torqued. Instances when bolts are over-tightened can lead to the bolt sheering and potentially full wheel loss. Usually occurs when the car is steering and there's more lateral force put on to the wheels.

 

[sleven]

That's the point, it is not safe to assume anything at all when it comes to current generation generative AI systems.

My point can be proven by Arc's screenshots - fully tightening a wheel bolt is actually extremely dangerous, they must be specifically torqued. Instances when bolts are over-tightened can lead to the bolt sheering and potentially full wheel loss. Usually occurs when the car is steering and there's more lateral force put on to the wheels.

My apologies - I agree with everything you just said.