Opera introduces a new web standard to let users deploy AI locally in their browser
techcrunch ·
Opera has introduced a new web standard called WebAI, which enables users to run artificial intelligence models directly within its browser without relying on cloud infrastructure. This technology supports various open-weight AI systems, including Google’s Gemma and Apple’s on-device foundation models on Macs. The feature is currently available as an early preview in the Opera One browser, with plans to extend it to Opera GX and Opera Neon soon. By processing data locally on the user's device, WebAI aims to enhance privacy by preventing personal information from being sent to external servers. Additionally, this approach allows developers to integrate AI features without incurring costs for cloud subscriptions or maintaining heavy infrastructure. However, running these models locally places higher demands on computer hardware, meaning performance will vary depending on the user's specific device capabilities.
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