AI Browsers and Extensions Surge in 2025

In 2025, artificial intelligence became deeply embedded in web browsers, transforming them from passive tools into proactive assistants through new dedicated AI browsers and a surge of Chrome extensions. Major tech companies, including OpenAI, Perplexity, and Google, released products that integrate AI for tasks like summarizing content, automating workflows, and enhancing shopping, marking a shift toward more intelligent browsing experiences.

OpenAI launched its AI browser, Atlas, in October, centering it around the ChatGPT chatbot to handle prompts before traditional URL navigation. Competitors followed suit, with Perplexity's Comet debuting in July and The Browser Company's Dia in June. These browsers emphasize agentic AI features, allowing users to query for actions such as email organization or product recommendations. Mainstream options like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge incorporated add-ons like Gemini and Copilot, but full AI browsers positioned automation at the forefront.

Testing of these tools revealed mixed results in practical use. Efforts to summarize and prioritize emails often required intricate prompts, such as specifying timeliness, keywords, and exclusions...