Opera's Agentic AI Browser Neon Launches With Subscription Model

[MacRumors]

Opera today launched its subscription-based, AI-focused Neon browser, which joins a growing field of companies touting agentic browsing capabilities.

Opera first previewed Neon in May and is now gradually rolling out invites to waitlist members. Available to early access users at $19.99 per month, Neon aims to go beyond traditional browsing by using AI to execute tasks directly within the browser. Neon can open and close tabs, compare information across multiple sources, and even complete transactions on a user's behalf.

Central to Neon's design is the Tasks feature, which creates self-contained workspaces for different projects. Each Task functions like a mini-browser with its own context, allowing the AI to act across multiple sources without accessing information from other parts of the browser. The idea is that you can work on several complex projects simultaneously – say, planning a trip while researching a purchase – without the AI confusing contexts between them.

Neon browser also introduces Cards, which are reusable prompt instructions that can be combined to automate common workflows. Cards are supposed to be like building blocks for AI interactions: instead of explaining your needs from scratch each time, you can combine pre-made Cards like "pull-details" and "comparison-table" to instantly create product comparison prompts. For meeting notes, users might stack "key-decisions," "action-items," and "follow-ups" Cards to capture what matters in the right format, says Opera. Users can create their own Cards or access community-made options through an in-browser store.

The Neon Do function is perhaps the browser's most ambitious capability, since it allows the app to navigate websites, fill out forms, and gather data while operating within a user's logged-in browser session. Unlike cloud-based alternatives, Neon Do works locally, so it keeps login credentials private and lets users pause or take control at any time.

The browser will compete directly with similar offerings from the likes of Perplexity (Comet Browser) and The Browser Company (Dia Browser). Opera Neon won't replace the existing Opera browser, but some of its features will likely be added to Opera over time.

Article Link: Opera's Agentic AI Browser Neon Launches With Subscription Model

 

[JMalone]

This convoluted browser company goes from desperate to super desperate to pick me gal.

 

[arc of the universe]

what could go wrong.

/s

 

[tomtad]

Steve would be proud

 

[2128506]

Here we go - another "AI browser" with a horrible UI (30-40 UI elements in a single window, why?!) and imaginary use cases ("planning a trip while researching a purchase riding on a unicorn inside a pirate ship").

It kinda sad, there was Arc browser, which for me personally is THE productivity browser, with UI done properly - and they killed it in favor of "AI browser" piece of crap.

TBC got one thing right - internet is webapps these days and you should treat it like that.

For (re)search there is Perplexity, which is setting the standard on how you should implement AI-driven internet browsing, not with another pile of AI slop clicking buttons for you.

 

[Valve1138]

To quote Butthead, what the hell is this crap.

 

[Wanted797]

Well here is something that can go in my “things I’ll never pay for” bucket

 

[Boeingfan]

Nope, they lost me at subscription.

 

[ghostface147]

20 bucks to have an assistant who can close browser tabs and other tasks? Negative ghost rider.

 

[iMac The Knife]

I use Opera on all my machines and devices...but I'm never going to pay for it.

 

[carswell]

Failing to see the value of this at least in my use scenarios. Like it's too much effort to close tabs or compare prices on my own?!

Also, now that Opera is Chinese-owned, I'm not comfortable giving its AI access to my computer, search history, browsing habits, personal information and the like.

Actually, a project for the fall is to find a replacement for my regular Opera, Bookmark handling is key for me and so far the Vivaldi and DuckDuckGo browsers aren't up to snuff and, despite repeated attempts to give Safari a go, I find its interface and controls weird, unintuitive and off-putting. Firefox is my preferred browser but I have it so locked down it can't display a number of pages, hence the need for an alternative.

 

[applicious84]

Weren't they once all about privacy? This seems to be going way in the opposite direction (no matter what they claim).

 

[con2apple]

Expected something else?
Of course, AI doesn't come for free.

A little info on that: To date, OpenAI hasn't made a cent in profit. They're just burning through hundreds of billions of dollars.

And here's a question for everyone: Who among you will subscribe to Opera to get help with browsing by statistics?

 

[con2apple]

Weren't they once all about privacy? This seems to be going way in the opposite direction (no matter what they claim).

That was over ten years ago. The most important founders and developers of Opera have moved to Vivaldi
Opera itself has been owned by a Chinese consortium since 2015.

Opera only has its well-known name and image left.
As you can see, it helps. The editorial team also seems to have missed the last ten years.

 

[cjsuk]

Everyone loves AI until even if it has no value, until it costs money.

This will die in under a year.

 

[rotlex]

LOL, why, just why.

 

[matt_and_187_like_this]

all these ai apps have delusional pricing. imagine what you can get for 20 USD from open ai and then what they offer you for the same money.

 

[DFZD]

Remember when everyone was saying AI will take away jobs?

 

[boswald]

When website paywalls no longer work, charge for the whole browser! Brilliant.

 

[michaeljk]

Are we missing the bigger picture here? No, I will not download or buy this product for all of the reasons already noted, but that shouldn't be the end of the discussion. All these new features are just first attempts. There is this rising tide of lots of different companies trying lots of different ways to make "AI" (I wish we had a better name commonly used) do stuff for us that can't be done right now, at least not in the same way. When I read the article, I wasn't thinking even once, "do I want this on my computer?" I was thinking the entire time, "I wonder how this will all come together eventually in a product I will want to use (like Safari shellacking many of these features)?"

 

[Mansu944]

Another subscription?

 

[cyanite]

what could go wrong.

/s

Please enlighten us instead of this lazy sarcasm. What could go wrong?

Nope, they lost me at subscription.

Well, as it turns out, LLM inference costs a lot of computer time.

I use Opera on all my machines and devices...but I'm never going to pay for it.

See above. This also tends to be the general problem of the internet today. Everyone wants everything. No one wants to pay for anything.

Weren't they once all about privacy? This seems to be going way in the opposite direction (no matter what they claim).

How does it seem like that? It seems you are in control of what you share, no?

When website paywalls no longer work, charge for the whole browser! Brilliant.

See above.

Another subscription?

See above.

 

[stevemiller]

Are we missing the bigger picture here? No, I will not download or buy this product for all of the reasons already noted, but that shouldn't be the end of the discussion. All these new features are just first attempts. There is this rising tide of lots of different companies trying lots of different ways to make "AI" (I wish we had a better name commonly used) do stuff for us that can't be done right now, at least not in the same way. When I read the article, I wasn't thinking even once, "do I want this on my computer?" I was thinking the entire time, "I wonder how this will all come together eventually in a product I will want to use (like Safari shellacking many of these features)?"

i look forward to your report on how nfts and the metaverse will eventually come together to become indispensable in our lives.

 

[contacos]

Paying to beta test and helping them teach their AI. They should be the ones paying. When did it all go wrong

 

[Rafagon]

Isn't Neon also the name of the app that was sharing audio from phone calls illegally and had to be shut down?