Opera announced today that it is introducing an AI side panel in its browser called “Area” powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company says that Aria is a web and a browser specialist that makes it easy to find information on the web, generate text or code, or get answers to your product questions. The new feature is currently available for testing.
Aria is also able to answer questions about Opera itself, as the company says it is knowledgeable about the browser’s “entire database of support documentation.” Opera says Aria is based on its “Composer” infrastructure and draws on OpenAI’s GPT technology and is enhanced with additional capabilities, such as adding live results from the web.
The company outlines that Aria is a free service with up-to-date information, meaning it is connected to the internet and not limited to content prior to 2021, as is the case with standard GPT-based solutions. . Aria is launching in over 180 countries.
You can test Aria by downloading the latest version of Opera One. As an Android user, you can test Aria in the latest beta version of the browser. Opera notes that as a tester, the only thing you need to access Aria is create an opera account, if you don’t already have one. You will then be notified by email or in-product about your whitelist status. Once your Opera account is whitelisted, you can access Aria through Opera’s Settings for Android beta or through Opera One’s browser sidebar.
Image Credits: Opera
Opera’s latest launch builds on the browser’s current AI features. Earlier this year, Opera integrated generative AI chatbots powered by ChatGPT and ChatSonic into its desktop browsers, Opera and Opera GX. The company has also launched a feature that lets you generate AI prompts by highlighting text on a website or typing in it. These chatbots can summarize articles or webpages, write social media posts for you, or help you brainstorm via prompts.
Last month, the company launched Opera One, a redesigned version of its flagship browser that it says has elements that will prepare it for a “generic AI-based future.”
“Now we’re going one step further by introducing a browser AI that will allow you to interact with the web powered by AI directly in the browser,” Opera wrote in a blog post. “The current form of Aria’s chat interface that communicates directly with you, the user, marks the first phase of the project. The AI-based service is set to become even more integrated into Opera in upcoming versions of the browser, with the ultimate aim of blending seamlessly into the browser to help you get cross-browser work done.
The new sidebar is somewhat similar to what Microsoft has introduced in Edge. In March, Microsoft announced that its Edge web browser would include a new Bing AI chatbot in the sidebar. Of course, Opera and Microsoft aren’t the only companies focusing on integrating AI-powered tools into their browsers, as Brave earlier this year introduced summarization features to its search engine and developed an AI-focused search engine for its browser. using the features.
