Opera launches new integrated AI sidebar powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT

Opera today announced that it is introducing an AI side panel to its browser called “Aria” which is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company claims that Aria is both a web and browser expert that makes it easy to find information on the web, generate text or code, or answer your product questions. The new feature is currently available for testing.

Aria is also able to answer questions about Opera itself, as the company claims to know the browser’s “entire support documentation database.” Opera says Aria is based on its “composer” framework and connects to OpenAI’s GPT technology and is enhanced with additional features, such as adding live results from the web.

The company points out that Aria is a free service with up-to-date information, meaning it’s internet-connected and not limited to pre-2021 content, as is the case with standard GPT-based solutions. Aria is launched in more than 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 browser beta. Opera notes that as a tester, the only thing you need to do to access Aria is create an Opera account, if you don’t already have one. You will then be notified via email or within the product of your whitelist status. Once your Opera account has been whitelisted, you can access Aria through Opera’s settings for Android beta or through Opera One’s browser sidebar.

Picture 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 also launched a feature that lets you generate AI prompts by highlighting text on a website or typing it. These chatbots can summarize articles or web pages, write social media posts for you, or help you brainstorm through prompts.

Last month, the company launched Opera One, a revamped version of its flagship browser, which it says contains elements that will make it ready for a “generative AI-powered future”.

“We are now moving forward with introducing browser AI that will allow you to interact with the web using AI directly in the browser,” Opera wrote in a blog post. “Aria’s current form of a chat interface that communicates directly with you, the user, marks the first stage of the project. The AI-based service is expected to be even more integrated with Opera in future versions of the browser, with the ultimate goal of being natively integrated into the browser to help you perform cross-browser tasks.

The new sidebar is somewhat similar to features introduced by Microsoft in Edge. In March, Microsoft announced that its Edge web browser will include a new Bing AI chatbot in a sidebar. Of course, Opera and Microsoft aren’t the only companies focusing on built-in AI-powered tools in their browsers, as Brave introduced summary features to its search engine earlier this year and is experimenting with on AI for its browser.