The Norwegian browser company behind Opera is working on an AI-powered version with agentic powers. Called Opera Neon, users can chat using the browser’s native integrated AI agent that will search the web, get answers and provide context for webpages. To do this, Opera Neon draws on previously showcased Opera tech called Browser Operator, which automates routine web tasks like form completion, hotel bookings and even some shopping functions. “Neon performs these tasks locally in the browser, preserving users’ privacy and security,” according to Opera. The company, which has been around since 1996, was acquired by a Chinese consortium in 2016.

“Opera Neon allows the early adopter community to try out something never before seen in a browser — a complete AI engine capable of understanding and interpreting what they want to make, and creating it for them,” Opera Limited explains in a news release that emphasizes the ability of Neon to labor on behalf of users “even when they go offline,” by using AI agents that work in a virtual machine hosted in the cloud.

“Opera Neon users can, for example, ask the browser to make a game, a report, a snippet of code, or even a website — it will research, design, and build whatever users need,” even executing multiple projects at once right in the browser, which the company calls “agentic multitasking.”

TechRadar describes Opera Neon as “a new premium subscription web browser that can understand your commands in natural language” and says its core functionality boils down to “three main options: Chat, Do and Make.”

Calling the new agentic browser “one of the most exciting uses of AI” in recent times, TechRadar notes that while the ability to question the AI about the website you’re visiting and getting reliable answers “isn’t new,” it adds that “the agentic qualities of the browser sound incredibly valuable.”

Tom’s Guide calls agentic assistance “core to the future of web browsing,” and notes that while the official launch date for the new Opera Neon is unknown (as is the subscription price), “a waitlist is now open for sign-ups and will let you try the Alpha when it launches.”