What Is An AI Browser And Is It Safe?

An AI browser is a web browser with artificial intelligence built directly into the browsing experience.

Instead of opening a separate chatbot, copying information from a website and pasting it into an AI tool, you can ask questions about the page you are already viewing. More advanced AI browsers can compare several tabs, complete forms, organise information, manage emails and even perform online tasks on your behalf.

That sounds useful, but it introduces an important question: is it safe to let an AI read your tabs, access logged-in accounts and click through websites for you?

The answer is not a simple yes or no.

AI browsers can be reasonably safe for low-risk research, summarisation and everyday browsing when used carefully. However, agentic features that can access private accounts or take actions introduce additional security and privacy risks that do not exist in the same form with a conventional browser.

What is an AI browser?

An AI browser combines a conventional browser with an AI assistant capable of understanding web content.

Depending on the browser, it may be able to:

• Summarise the current webpage

• Answer questions about an article

• Compare products across several tabs

• Translate text or videos

• Search across open and recently visited pages

• Organise tabs into groups

• Draft emails or documents

• Fill in online forms

• Find flights, hotels or products

• Access connected services such as Gmail or Calendar

• Complete multi-step tasks with user approval

The simplest versions behave like a chatbot inside a browser sidebar. More advanced versions are sometimes described as agentic browsers because their AI agents can interact with websites rather than merely explain them.

For example, a normal AI assistant might tell you how to find a suitable hotel. An agentic browser may be able to search several booking sites, compare prices, enter your dates and prepare a reservation for your approval.

If you are new to AI assistants, our complete ChatGPT review explains how modern systems combine web research, file analysis, writing and task-based tools.

How does an AI browser work?

An AI browser usually combines several technologies:

1. A conventional browser engine loads the website.

2. An AI model analyses the visible page or page structure.

3. The browser sends relevant context to the AI assistant.

4. The assistant interprets your request.

5. It either returns an answer or uses browser tools to perform an action.

Some browsers analyse only the page you specifically ask about. Others can use information from several tabs, browsing history, connected accounts or saved memories.

This wider context can make the assistant much more useful. It can also increase the amount of personal information available to the AI.

The distinction between reading and acting is particularly important.

An AI browser that summarises an article has relatively limited authority. An AI browser that can open your email, access your calendar, fill in forms and submit information has significantly more power.

AI browsers compared

The table below compares several of the main AI-powered browsing options available or being rolled out in 2026.

AI browser or feature	Type	What it can do	Availability	Main safety consideration
Perplexity Comet	Dedicated Chromium browser	Research, summarise pages, use browser commands, work with email and calendar, perform tasks	Windows, macOS, iOS and Android	Can access extensive browsing and connected-account context
Gemini in Chrome	AI built into an existing browser	Summarise pages, compare tabs, use Google apps, transform images and perform selected actions	Rolling out across Chrome, including the UK	Connected Apps may expose email, calendar and other Google context
Microsoft Copilot in Edge	AI integrated into Edge	Summarise tabs, compare products, plan trips, use page context and help complete tasks	Available through Microsoft Edge	Optional memory and contextual access should be reviewed
Opera Neon	Dedicated agentic browser	Complete multi-tab tasks, fill forms, research, create code and build projects	Paid subscription	Highly agentic features can act inside logged-in browser sessions
Dia	AI-focused work browser	Search across tabs and connected tools, create reports, organise work and provide contextual assistance	Primarily supported on newer Apple silicon Macs	Work integrations may expose company information and communications
Brave Leo	Browser-based AI assistant	Summarise pages, analyse documents, translate text and answer questions	Built into Brave	Less agentic than some rivals, which may reduce certain action-based risks
ChatGPT browser-based agents	AI browsing inside ChatGPT and browser integrations	Research websites, work across pages and complete supported browser tasks	Depends on ChatGPT plan, platform and workspace	Users should limit permissions and supervise sensitive actions
ChatGPT Atlas	Standalone AI browser being retired	Previously offered ChatGPT, memory and agentic browsing inside a dedicated browser	Scheduled to stop working on 9 August 2026	Existing users should export bookmarks and move to supported alternatives

Perplexity describes Comet as an AI browser that acts as a personal assistant, with tools for research, email, shopping and task automation.

Google’s Gemini in Chrome can work with multiple tabs and connected Google services. Google began rolling out many of these features to UK desktop users in July 2026.

Microsoft’s Copilot in Edge can use information from open tabs, summarise pages, compare options and assist with selected tasks.

Opera positions Opera Neon as a premium browser for AI power users. Its agents can navigate pages, fill in forms and work across logged-in sessions.

Is ChatGPT Atlas still available?

ChatGPT Atlas was OpenAI’s dedicated AI browser, launched in October 2025 with ChatGPT built into the browsing experience.

However, OpenAI is now retiring Atlas. The browser is scheduled to stop working on 9 August 2026.

OpenAI is moving browser-based agent capabilities into ChatGPT, Codex, the ChatGPT desktop experience and browser integrations rather than continuing Atlas as a separate browser.

Existing users should export important bookmarks and save any information they need before the shutdown date.

You can read more about ChatGPT’s wider capabilities in our ChatGPT review and pricing guide.

what OpenAI says about AI-browser security

OpenAI has acknowledged that browser agents cannot be guaranteed to block every malicious attack.

“Our safeguards will not stop every attack that emerges.”

The statement appeared in OpenAI’s original explanation of ChatGPT Atlas and its security limitations.

OpenAI has also described prompt injection as a long-term security challenge requiring continuous testing, monitoring and improvements rather than a problem that can be permanently solved with one update.

This does not mean AI browsers are automatically unsafe. It means users should not assume that an AI agent is infallible simply because it comes from a large technology company.

Are AI browsers safe?

AI browsers can be safe enough for many everyday tasks, but they should not currently be trusted without supervision for every activity.

The level of risk depends heavily on what the browser can access and what you allow it to do.

Lower-risk uses

These uses are generally safer:

• Summarising a public article

• Explaining unfamiliar text

• Translating a webpage

• Comparing publicly available product specifications

• Organising ordinary tabs

• Producing a summary of non-sensitive research

• Answering questions about public information

Higher-risk uses

These activities require more caution:

• Accessing online banking

• Reading private email

• Working with medical records

• Viewing confidential client information

• Using employer systems

• Accessing cloud storage

• Entering payment details

• Completing purchases

• Posting publicly on your behalf

• Sending messages or emails

• Changing account settings

• Downloading or uploading sensitive files

The more accounts an AI browser can access, the greater the potential impact if it misunderstands a request or follows malicious instructions.

What is prompt injection?

Prompt injection is one of the most important security risks affecting AI browsers.

A prompt-injection attack occurs when a webpage, email, document or image contains instructions designed to manipulate an AI assistant.

Those instructions may be visible, disguised as ordinary text or hidden from the user.

For example, a malicious webpage could contain a hidden instruction telling the AI browser to ignore the user’s request and open another account. If the browser cannot reliably distinguish between webpage content and genuine user instructions, it may attempt to follow the malicious command.

This is especially dangerous when the browser is already signed into:

• Email accounts

• Social networks

• Cloud storage

• Business platforms

• Online shops

• Payment services

• Banking websites

Security researchers at Brave demonstrated how malicious instructions embedded in webpage content could affect Perplexity Comet.

Brave later reported that prompt injections could also be placed inside images or screenshots, making them much harder for users to notice.

Researchers have emphasised that this is not necessarily a weakness affecting only one company. It is a wider technical challenge for browsers that allow language models to read untrusted web content and simultaneously take actions with a user’s permissions.

Atlas Retired

The following X post from OpenAI’s James Sun discusses moving ChatGPT and Codex into the browser as Atlas is retired.

This post is particularly relevant because it shows how the market is changing. AI browsing is increasingly being added to established browsers and desktop applications rather than always requiring users to adopt a completely separate browser.

What are the privacy risks?

Security and privacy are related, but they are not exactly the same.

Security concerns whether an unauthorised person or malicious website can access your information. Privacy concerns how the AI company itself collects, processes, stores and uses your browsing data.

An AI browser may potentially process:

• The webpages you visit

• Text shown in your tabs

• Your prompts and AI conversations

• Browsing history

• Search history

• Uploaded files

• Connected emails

• Calendar information

• Documents stored in cloud services

• Shopping preferences

• Information saved in browser memory

• Content copied into forms

• Account details needed for autofill

The exact data collected depends on the browser and the settings you enable.

Before installing an AI browser, check:

1. Whether browser activity is used to train AI models

2. Whether conversations are stored

3. Whether browsing memory is enabled

4. Which connected accounts the browser can access

5. Whether the browser reads every tab or only selected tabs

6. How long data is retained

7. Whether data can be deleted

8. Whether business data receives different protections

9. Whether third-party models process your information

10. Whether optional features are enabled by default

Users who prefer Google’s wider ecosystem may find Google Gemini convenient, but integrations with Gmail, Calendar, Drive and other services should be enabled only when they provide a genuine benefit.

Can an AI browser access your passwords?

AI browsers built on Chromium can often use conventional browser password managers and autofill systems.

That does not necessarily mean the AI assistant can freely display every saved password. Browsers may separate password storage from the AI layer and require device authentication before revealing sensitive information.

However, an AI agent operating inside a logged-in browser may not need to see the password itself to perform actions.

For example, it may be able to open a website where you are already signed in and interact with your account using the existing session.

This is why login sessions, cookies and browser permissions should be treated as sensitive. An agent with access to a logged-in account may have considerable authority even if it cannot directly reveal the password.

Can an AI browser make purchases?

Some agentic browsers can search for products, compare prices, fill in forms and prepare purchases.

Responsible systems should pause before a consequential action and ask for confirmation before:

• Placing an order

• Submitting payment

• Booking travel

• Posting publicly

• Sending an email

• Changing an account setting

• Agreeing to legal terms

Google says its Chrome agentic features are designed to ask for confirmation before sensitive actions such as purchases or social-media posts.

Nevertheless, users should independently confirm:

• The product

• Seller

• Total price

• Currency

• Delivery address

• Subscription terms

• Cancellation policy

• Quantity

• Payment method

An AI-generated recommendation can also be inaccurate, commercially influenced or based on incomplete information.

Are AI-browser summaries accurate?

Not always.

AI browsers can misunderstand articles, miss important qualifications or combine information from different pages incorrectly.

A summary may sound confident even when the underlying interpretation is wrong.

This is especially important when researching:

• Medical information

• Legal requirements

• Financial decisions

• Product safety

• Travel restrictions

• Government rules

• Software compatibility

• Breaking news

Always open and read the source before relying on a significant claim.

AI-generated citations are helpful, but the presence of a citation does not guarantee that the linked page supports every statement in the answer.

For more on choosing between different AI systems, read our guide to open-source and closed AI models.

Is an AI browser safer than Chrome?

It depends on the AI browser and how it is configured.

Traditional Chrome already includes security features such as sandboxing, Safe Browsing, permission controls and site isolation. Adding Gemini or another AI assistant introduces additional functionality and additional possible risks.

A dedicated AI browser may use Chromium and inherit many of Chrome’s core protections. However, its agent may also have the ability to interpret page content, access several tabs and complete tasks.

This creates an extra layer that conventional browser protections were not originally designed to govern.

Therefore, an AI browser is not automatically safer or less safe than Chrome. The main questions are:

• How much authority does the AI have?

• Which accounts can it access?

• Does it require confirmation before acting?

• How does it handle prompt injection?

• Can users disable memory and connected services?

• How quickly are security problems patched?

Which AI browser is best for privacy?

Brave Leo takes a more privacy-focused approach than many AI assistants. Brave says users can access Leo without creating an account and that chats are not used for additional model training.

However, Brave Leo is more of an AI assistant built into a browser than a fully autonomous agent capable of completing every multi-step task.

This illustrates a broader trade-off.

A browser with limited permissions may be less powerful but easier to control. A browser capable of accessing email, calendars, documents and shopping accounts may be more useful but carries greater risk.

Dia also emphasises privacy controls, including the ability to manage memory and connected tools. It states that user data is not sold or used to build advertising profiles.

Users should still read the current privacy policy before adopting any AI browser because product settings and policies can change.

How to use an AI browser safely

1. Begin with public information

Use the browser for public articles, product research and general questions before connecting personal accounts.

2. Avoid banking in the same browser profile

Consider keeping banking, payments and sensitive services in a separate browser or profile that the AI assistant cannot access.

3. Limit connected accounts

Do not connect Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Slack or other platforms merely because the browser supports them. Enable only the services required for a specific use.

4. Review every important action

Do not allow an AI to send, purchase, book, publish or delete without checking the final action yourself.

5. Give narrow instructions

A precise instruction is safer than an open-ended command.

Safer:

“Compare the displayed prices and create a table. Do not make a purchase or open any account pages.”

Riskier:

“Find the best option and take care of everything.”

6. Watch the agent while it works

Where possible, use visible browser automation that allows you to pause or take control.

7. Turn off unnecessary memory

Browser memory can improve personalisation, but it may also retain information about pages you visited or tasks you completed.

8. Keep the browser updated

AI-browser security is evolving quickly. Install updates promptly so that known vulnerabilities receive the latest available fixes.

9. Use separate profiles

Create different profiles for:

• Everyday browsing

• Work

• Personal accounts

• AI experimentation

• Banking and payments

10. Never assume hidden instructions are harmless

Be especially cautious when asking an AI browser to process unknown emails, shared documents, social-media posts or unfamiliar websites.

Should businesses allow AI browsers?

Businesses should not allow unrestricted AI-browser adoption without a clear policy.

An employee may unintentionally give an AI browser access to:

• Customer information

• Internal emails

• Contracts

• Financial data

• Confidential documents

• Login sessions

• Source code

• Private analytics

• Unreleased marketing materials

Organisations should determine:

• Which AI browsers are approved

• Which models can process company data

• Whether browser memory is permitted

• Which connectors may be enabled

• Whether sensitive sites must be blocked

• Whether agents can perform actions

• How activity is logged

• How incidents are reported

• Whether business data can be used for training

• Which tasks require human approval

Companies should also distinguish between personal consumer plans and business or enterprise versions with contractual data protections.

Should you switch to an AI browser?

An AI browser could be worthwhile when you regularly:

• Research across many tabs

• Compare products or services

• Summarise long webpages

• Work with online documents

• Plan trips

• Use browser-based business tools

• Repeat the same web tasks

• Want AI assistance without copying and pasting

A conventional browser may remain the better choice when you:

• Rarely use AI

• Handle highly sensitive information

• Prefer minimal data collection

• Do not need browser automation

• Want maximum control over each action

• Work under strict company security policies

You do not necessarily have to replace your existing browser.

A sensible approach is to use an AI browser as a secondary tool for research and low-risk tasks while keeping sensitive activity inside a separate conventional browser profile.

Final verdict: Are AI browsers safe?

AI browsers are useful, but they should be treated as powerful assistants rather than completely trusted autonomous workers.

They can safely help with ordinary research, summaries, comparisons and organisation when permissions are limited. The risk increases when they can access private accounts or take consequential actions.

The central problem is that an AI browser must interpret untrusted information from the web while also deciding which instructions to follow. Prompt injection makes that distinction difficult, particularly when malicious instructions are hidden inside pages, emails or images.

For now, the safest approach is to:

• Keep permissions limited

• Separate sensitive accounts

• Supervise agent actions

• Check important information

• Require confirmation before purchases or messages

• Disable integrations you do not need

AI browsers are likely to become more capable and more common. Their safety will improve, but attackers will also develop new ways to manipulate them.

Use the intelligence, but keep the final authority.