Opera launches its AI-centric Neon browser

Opera has officially launched its innovative AI-powered browser, Neon, on Tuesday, aiming to transform the way users interact with the web. This new browser not only allows users to create applications through AI prompts but also features a unique function known as 'cards' that facilitates the generation of repeatable prompts. With the unveiling of Neon, Opera joins the ranks of emerging companies like Perplexity and The Browser Company, all striving to redefine browsing with more intelligent interfaces. Initially announced in May, Neon was in a closed preview phase but is now set to invite select users to experience its capabilities for a subscription fee of $19.99 per month. Krystian Kolondra, the Executive Vice President of Browsers at Opera, expressed enthusiasm about the launch, stating, "We built Opera Neon for ourselves – and for everyone who uses AI extensively in their day-to-day. Today, we’re welcoming the first users who will help shape the future of agentic browsing with us." Neon comes equipped with several key features, starting with a basic chatbot that users can engage with to receive answers to their inquiries. The standout feature, Neon Do, aims to enhance productivity by assisting users with various tasks. For example, it can summarize a Substack blog and automatically post the findings to a Slack channel. The browser’s context awareness allows it to recall details from your browsing history, making it possible to fetch information from YouTube videos or blog posts viewed in recent days. In addition, Neon can generate code snippets, which can be particularly useful for users looking to create visual reports complete with tables and charts. However, it remains uncertain whether these mini-apps can be shared with others. Drawing a parallel to the skills feature in The Browser Company’s Dia, Neon allows for creating repeatable prompts through its card system. This system operates similarly to IFTTT (If This Then That), enabling users to combine functions such as "pull-details" and "comparison-table" for side-by-side product comparisons. Another exciting addition to Neon is the Tasks feature, which organizes tabs and AI chats into contained workspaces, offering a structure reminiscent of Tab Groups merged with Arc Browser’s workspace capabilities. In demonstrations, Opera showcased Neon’s ability to complete tasks like grocery ordering, though historically, such demos may not fully represent real-world usability, leaving the browser to validate its claims in practical scenarios. With this launch, Opera enters a competitive landscape dominated by platforms like Perplexity’s Comet and Dia, alongside tech giants such as Google and Microsoft, who are also integrating AI features into their browsers. Unlike its competitors, Opera aims to attract power users by offering Neon as a subscription service, setting it apart in the evolving browser market.