What Is an AI Browser?
An AI browser is either a traditional browser upgraded with built-in artificial intelligence (like Chrome or Edge), or a completely new browser designed around AI assistants and agent capabilities (like Comet, Arc, or Dia).
These browsers:
Summarize web pages instantly
Answer questions about content without clicking
Automate form filling, booking, emails, or shopping
Act as virtual assistants that can complete multi-step tasks inside the browser
In some cases, they don’t even take users to your website, they generate answers based on it.
What Is an Agentic Browser?
An agentic browser uses an AI system (or “agent”) that can:
Read and understand websites like a human
Make decisions about what to click, read, or ignore
Complete multi-step tasks (like booking a meeting or writing an email)
Present information without always showing the original web pages
Unlike traditional search, you don’t just get links—you get results, and sometimes actions done for you.
How Does It Work?
Here’s how the process typically works behind the scenes
You type or speak a goal, not just a keyword.
Example:
“Find me the best time to fly to Oslo for under NOK 3000 next month and book it.”
The agent runs multiple searches, reads pages, fills out forms, compares options, just like a virtual assistant would.
It might interact with Skyscanner, Google Flights, airline sites, and your calendar.
It returns a final answer or takes action (if authorized).
You get the best flight option, and with your permission, it can even book it using saved preferences.
Real Examples
Content Research (Perplexity Comet)
You ask:
“Summarize the latest SEO ranking factors from Google and give sources.”
Comet scans and reads blogs, forums, and documents, then gives you a human-readable summary with citations. You don’t have to open 10 tabs.
Product Comparison (Arc Search or Gemini)
You type:
“Compare the best 3 project management tools for freelancers.”
The AI agent browses, reads reviews, checks features, and presents a comparison chart without you visiting any external site.
Client-Side Automation (Google’s Project Mariner – coming)
You might say:
“Book a 30-minute meeting with Anna next week and send her the Zoom link.”
The agent checks your calendar, her availability, generates a Zoom invite, and emails it, without you clicking a thing.
SEO Disruption Scenario
Your blog post ranks well in Google, but an agent like Comet or Gemini summarizes your content without a click.
The user gets what they need in the browser sidebar. Your website traffic drops, even if your content is excellent.
You may find yourself questioning whether you should promote your website to appears in the AI conversational tools or to block their boots. Read more here:
Protect or Promote? How AI Crawlers Are Forcing a New Strategy for Website Owners
