Opera has launched its AI-powered browser, Neon, and it’s creating quite a buzz. This browser isn’t just a simple upgrade; it comes with three AI bots to enhance your online experience. But that can also be a bit tricky.
Neon entered a busy market, competing with big names like Google’s Chrome with Gemini, and Perplexity’s Comet. While many browsers are free, Opera charges $19.90 a month. That’s a risk, especially when users can find similar features in other free options.
Neon’s layout is similar to existing Opera browsers, complete with an ad blocker and a VPN. What stands out are the AI options on the home screen. Users can choose between four functions: regular searches, an AI chatbot named Chat, an agent called Do that controls browser tasks, and an AI that creates tools called Make.
Chat is user-friendly and answers queries, but it often gives lengthy responses. For instance, when we asked it to sum up comments from recent articles, it provided an overly long answer and missed some accurate data. Sometimes it even guessed about topics instead of providing facts.
According to Krystian Kolondra, Opera’s VP for browsers, the mishaps were linked to picking the right tool. For tasks that involve more detailed interaction, Do is your go-to option. It can complete tasks like booking appointments or finding specific information, but it struggles with accuracy at times. For instance, it might miss available tickets for a show or scroll past great options.
Doing tasks through Do could be slower than doing it yourself. There are moments when it gets stuck and needs human input. When that happens, a red alert appears at the top of the screen, indicating your help is needed.
Make is a tool for creating simple web games or other small projects directly in Neon, so your personal computer stays clutter-free. We tried it out and were able to make a basic memory game.
Additionally, Neon has a feature called Cards. These are pre-written prompts that can be reused across the different AI agents. However, currently, the selection feels limited and doesn’t offer much variety.
Overall, using Neon sometimes felt more frustrating than liberating. It seems eager to help but often misfires, leading to bouts of confusion rather than efficiency. Kolondra confirmed that the browser is still in the early stages of development.
In a world already crowded with free tools, convincing users to pay for something that still has kinks to work out will be a tough challenge.
Amidst all this, user opinions on social media reveal mixed feelings. While enthusiasts appreciate the innovation, others feel it still lacks the polish needed to justify a subscription.
Neon definitely shows potential, but whether it can evolve into the must-have tool Opera envisions remains to be seen.
For more insights into AI and tech developments, check authoritative sources like TechCrunch or Wired.
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