Opera has introduced WebAI, a new web standard designed to run AI models directly within a browser. The technology aims to eliminate the need for cloud servers by processing data locally on the user's device, which removes per-request fees for developers.
The early preview of WebAI launched on October 27, 2026, and is currently available in the Opera One browser. Future updates are planned to bring the feature to Opera GX and Opera Neon. Support is limited to 64-bit Windows machines and Macs with Apple silicon.
The standard is model-agnostic and supports systems like Google's Gemma and Apple's on-device foundation models. It enables functions such as text generation, content classification, and data relationship analysis, while keeping all processed information on the local machine.
Privacy is managed through granular user permissions, with the feature disabled by default. Opera suggests potential use cases including tab organization, clickbait detection, and job listing enhancements. The company claims support from Google and Microsoft for the initiative.
