With Copilot Mode, Microsoft marks its AI browser intentions
Instead of building a new browser from the ground up, Microsoft is layering the existing Edge browser. 'The future of the web is calmer, more focused, and more genuinely helpful. Today, we're bringing it closer than ever,' says Suleyman. The functionality being pitched as part of the Copilot Mode includes an ability to find context for a user's queries across multiple open tabs, agentic features such as booking reservations, and voice navigation.
Also Read: Microsoft's AI can diagnose illnesses faster than most doctors, but it's not replacing them anytime soon
For now, Microsoft is marking the Copilot Mode as 'experimental', and is unlocking this functionality for free for users who opt in, albeit for a limited time. It may well be the case that certain functionality, in due course, will move behind a subscription paywall. This is in sharp contrast to Perplexity, which is unlocking early access to Comet for users on the Max subscription, that is priced at $200 (around ₹17,000) per month.
Numbers from research firm Statcounter indicate Edge has cornered around 4.97% of the global web browser market share, where Google's Chrome holds a significant lead with 68.32% share, followed by Apple Safari (16.25%). The latter is yet to find success with its Apple Intelligence suite, as the company had envisioned, a year ago.
Two roads, same destination?
Microsoft has bolted AI functionality to an existing web browser, the primary advantage for consumers being not having to switch to a new browser app, and sync bookmarks, payment methods and more. Building with a popular existing product is something Google can do too, though the company hasn't announced anything on the lines of Microsoft's Copilot Mode, with its Gemini AI as yet.
Contextualising Google's cautious approach is a Chrome browser that already allows close integration with not just Gemini, but a variety of AI products including OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude and even Perplexity's tools — albeit with lesser capability of agentic features, which new-age AI browsers aggressively pitch.
The luxury of an existing foundation is something Perplexity and Browser Company didn't have. Comet, and the latter's Dia browsers, were developed from the ground up, which albeit a costly route, does allow them to develop a more focused approach where software and AI work in sync. Dia has marked Browser Company's pivot from a minimalism focused Arc browser, towards AI browsing.
Comet, for instance, can put together a shopping cart based on what you tell it, summarise web pages, search and find emails for you based on very specific queries, browse with voice commands and help with shopping (such as finding the fastest shipping options among the listed items) or travel (create walking routes for a place you're visiting).
Opera seems to be straddling both approaches, with its yet to be launched Neon browser. It is a new browser that takes little from its siblings, but still is expected to retain a lot of the familiar functionality. Opera is building its agentic functionality, called Do, with the in-house Browser Operator AI agent announced earlier this year, at its foundation.
While there may be a fear that Google's careful approach to any changes with Chrome may be leaving space that Perplexity, Browser Company, and now Microsoft may be able to fill, the tech giant is betting on its massive Chrome user base numbers to hold them in good stead for the inevitable AI layering.
There is also the aspect of cost, if a Chrome user must switch. Perplexity Max currently costs $200 per month, though company CEO Aravind Srinivas confirms that Comet will soon be available for Pro users as well, which is priced at ₹1,999 per month. Opera hasn't announced pricing for Neon, while Dia remains invite-only for now.
It is expected that OpenAI, once their expected AI browser is unveiled, will also be part of their paid subscription plans.
All said and done, success of newer AI browsers will depend on their ability to demonstrate clear value and utility over traditional web browsing apps, while balancing functionality with privacy, for users. That cocktail will not be easy to achieve.
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