Opera introduces WebAI — now the browser can run AI directly on the computer without the cloud

Opera has introduced WebAI as a standard for running models locally directly in the browser. The technology is not tied to a specific architecture and supports systems with open weights, including Google’s lightweight Gemma model and Apple’s built-in base model on Mac computers. Currently, the feature works on 64-bit Windows PCs with Intel or AMD processors, as well as on Mac computers with Apple chips.

Users need to activate WebAI manually, after which each website must obtain separate permission to access the local model. According to Opera, the standard enables generating text, classifying content, and matching data without cloud processing. Developers do not need to create their own infrastructure, and users do not have to subscribe to AI services, though local processing increases the load on the computer and depends on its specifications.

Similar capabilities are expected to appear soon in Opera GX and Opera Neon. At the same time, Opera introduced an experimental HTML-in-Canvas standard for embedding interactive web pages into 2D and 3D scenes. Buttons, menus, and forms remain functional even when the page is moved within virtual space; the demonstration was the Gamer Room project, featuring websites on interactive displays in a virtual 3D room.