TLDR;
- Opera has launched a new AI-powered browser called Neon, designed to automate tasks like shopping, coding, and form-filling.
- Neon features three core AI tools: Chat, Do, and Make, each with unique capabilities ranging from searching the web to building software.
- Unlike traditional browsers, Neon continues working for users even when they’re offline by running tasks in the cloud.
- The launch positions Opera as a serious AI player, amid increasing competition with OpenAI and Google’s Gemini.
Opera is making a bold leap into the future of web navigation with the unveiling of Neon, its newest browser that fuses artificial intelligence directly into the user experience.
Launched on Thursday, Opera Neon transforms the browser from a passive gateway into an active digital assistant, capable of shopping online, coding software, and even filling out web forms on behalf of the user.
Neon’s interface is clean and futuristic, with three essential buttons along the sidebar, including Chat, Do, and Make. These features combine to form a comprehensive AI agent that Opera calls the “Browser Operator,” a technology first teased in March and now fully integrated into Neon.
Meet Opera Neon, a browser for the agentic web
Opera Neon can browse with you or for you, take action & help you get things done.
Our playground to redefine what a browser can be.
🧩 Invite only. Sign up now: https://t.co/E2XYInZkYc pic.twitter.com/nMaxejPXGv
— Opera (@opera) May 28, 2025
Sidebar as AI Team
Notably, the Chat function is a smart chatbot that answers questions and pulls context from the current webpage. On the other hand, do powers automation, handling tasks like filling web forms or comparing prices right in your browser, saving you time and effort.
Make lets you create websites, games, or code by simply describing your idea. It runs AI in the cloud, so work continues even if you close your laptop or lose connection, delivering results when you return.
Responding to OpenAI and Google
Opera’s release of Neon comes at a critical time in the tech industry’s AI arms race. Just last month, OpenAI made headlines with its expressed interest in acquiring the Chrome browser, should U.S. antitrust action force Google to divest it. With OpenAI reportedly seeking tighter integration between its tools and a mainstream browser, Opera’s Neon launch is both strategic and timely.
In many ways, Neon can be seen as Opera’s answer to OpenAI’s growing ambitions. Where ChatGPT aims to revolutionize how users interact with information, Neon embeds that revolution into the browser itself. While OpenAI waits on regulators and court decisions, Opera is moving fast and directly into the space. It’s also a continuation of a trend Opera began in 2023 with the release of Opera One.
Subscription Model Marks Browser Shift
Neon will be available on a subscription basis, a rare move in the browser world where most players rely on free, ad-supported models. Opera has not disclosed the pricing yet, but the decision signals confidence in Neon’s value proposition. Rather than competing with Chrome or Safari on performance or aesthetics alone, Opera is offering something different, a browser that does things for you.
While some may balk at paying for a browser, early interest appears strong. A waitlist is already open, indicating that users are eager to try a browser that feels more like a virtual assistant than a static window to the web.
