Opera brings local AI to its browsers: WebAI runs open models on your laptop — no subscription, no data leaving the device
Opera has begun shipping local AI models in its browsers. WebAI, launching October 27, 2026 as an opt-in early preview in Opera One, lets websites and extensions run open models on the user’s own computer — no subscription, no per-request bill, and no data sent to an AI service.
- Who: Opera (NASDAQ: OPRA), the Oslo-based browser company.
- What: WebAI, local AI in the browser — a proposed web standard that lets websites and browser extensions use AI hosted through the browser, implemented by Opera as model-agnostic and built around open models.
- When: Launched October 27, 2026, as an opt-in early preview in Opera One; Opera GX and Opera Neon to follow.
- Models at launch: Google’s Gemma, and on Macs, Apple’s on-device foundation model.
- Devices: 64-bit Windows PCs (Intel or AMD) and Macs with Apple silicon; performance depends on the user’s hardware because the AI runs on-device.
- Also launching: HTML-in-Canvas, which puts real, interactive web pages inside 2D and 3D scenes.
Opera (NASDAQ: OPRA) began shipping local AI models in its browsers on October 27, 2026, making AI that runs on the user’s own computer a central part of the next generation of its browsers. The first capabilities are available today as an early preview in Opera One, with Opera GX and Opera Neon to follow.
What WebAI actually does#
WebAI is a proposed web standard, backed by companies such as Google and Microsoft, that lets websites and browser extensions use AI hosted through the browser. Opera’s implementation is model-agnostic and built around open models, offering users choice among AI providers. At launch, users can already tap into models from Google and Apple, including Google’s Gemma and, on Macs, Apple’s on-device foundation model, directly in Opera.
With WebAI, anyone can generate text, classify content and understand how pieces of information relate, all directly in the browser. To show what developers can build, Opera is releasing example extensions, including one that turns an article into moving art, with similar sentences becoming visual neighbors.
Why local changes the deal#
The pitch is about who pays and who sees the data. Local AI lets developers add AI features without running AI infrastructure or paying for every request. Users don’t need AI subscriptions, the information the local AI handles stays on their own device, and they stay in control of the AI on their computer. Opera’s example: an extension could sort your tabs, flag clickbait or spot relevant job posts using a model on your laptop, with no account, no fee and no data sent to an AI service.
The controls are explicit. WebAI is opt-in: nothing is downloaded until the user turns it on, and site-specific permissions enable users to decide which websites can access local AI. “A lot of what people want from AI doesn’t need a data center. Your laptop can already do it, without sending your data anywhere,” said Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers and AI at Opera. “We first shipped local models to developers in 2024. Now we’re bringing them to everyone.”
Also launching: HTML-in-Canvas — and what to watch#
Alongside WebAI, Opera launched HTML-in-Canvas, which lets developers put real, interactive web pages inside 2D and 3D scenes. Menus, buttons and forms can move with the scene and still work, built with the HTML and CSS developers already know — a natural fit for games and Opera GX. Opera’s demos include Webpage Bulldozer, where web page elements become physical objects, and Gamer Room, a 3D room with live web pages on its screens.
The caveats are the usual ones for an early preview. WebAI is available as an opt-in early preview on 64-bit Windows PCs (Intel or AMD) and Macs with Apple silicon, and because the AI runs on the user’s own device, performance depends on their hardware. Opera frames today as the start of a broader push, with more open models optimized for different devices and more tools for building browser experiences on local AI to come. The context matters: Opera was the first major browser to offer built-in access to local AI models, in an experimental developer build in 2024. Today’s launch brings that work into everyday browsers — and the test now is whether developers actually build on it, and whether laptop-grade models are good enough that users stop reaching for the cloud by default.
Frequently asked questions
What is Opera WebAI?
WebAI is a proposed web standard, backed by companies such as Google and Microsoft, that lets websites and browser extensions use AI hosted through the browser. Opera’s implementation is model-agnostic and built around open models, so users are not tied to a single provider.
Do I need a subscription, and does my data leave my device?
No. Opera says users do not need AI subscriptions, and the information the local AI handles stays on their own device. WebAI is opt-in: nothing is downloaded until the user turns it on, and site-specific permissions let users decide which websites can access local AI.
Which models and devices does WebAI support at launch?
At launch, users can tap models from Google and Apple, including Google’s Gemma and, on Macs, Apple’s on-device foundation model. WebAI is an opt-in early preview in Opera One on 64-bit Windows PCs (Intel or AMD) and Macs with Apple silicon, with Opera GX and Opera Neon to follow.