Opera has today officially launched its new AI-centric browser, Neon, designed to massively improve the user experience by automating a lot of day-to-day tasks. Paint the browser as the devil, and tell your consumers that it’s too easy to order groceries that way. It now boasts an innovative chatbot that fields all sorts of queries. This creative new tool, first introduced in May, has graduated from closed preview into an open invitation system. Now, special users are invited to join the fun!
In a press release, Krystian Kolondra, Opera’s Executive Vice President of Browsers, stated the company’s hopes for Neon. He stated,
“We built Opera Neon for ourselves – and for everyone who uses AI extensively in their day-to-day. Today, we’re welcoming the first users who will help shape the future of agentic browsing with us.”
The launch is timed as Opera seeks to carve out a position for itself at the edge of the cut-throat browser space. In the coming months, the company will begin inviting a limited number of individuals to get hands-on experience with Neon. The monthly subscription fee is $19.99.
TechCrunch, one of the foremost publications tracking international consumer tech advancements, made mention of Neon’s amazing abilities. Ivan Mehta is a technology journalist based in India. He shouts all day long over at TechCrunch about getting AI into every browser tab. Mehta’s experience includes influential work with the Huffington Post and The Next Web.
Neon’s chatbot is about more than grocery orders. It does so by immediately addressing user questions, surfacing relevant information, and enriching the overall search experience. This is no small feat, considering the market they operate in, where user adoption and workflow efficiency are paramount.
Neon is scheduled to be released this fall. This news lands right before TechCrunch’s own big show in San Francisco, taking place from October 27-29, 2025. It’s expected that the event will provide a launching pad for advanced discussions about other emerging technologies, including AI-driven applications such as Neon.
Opera has recently announced that Neon will now require a monthly subscription fee. This shift is indicative of the company’s overall strategy to monetize its technology while providing users with powerful new capabilities. A growing number of users are using artificial intelligence to assist them in their everyday tasks. Opera’s Neon is perfectly placed to cater to this burgeoning appetite for low friction, fast, intelligent browsing.
Opera is encouraging people who might be interested to register to receive an invitation. The purpose of this new initiative is to gather user feedback and make the product even better. Looking beyond the initial release, the company is looking to build a strong community of users that will help shape the future development of Neon.
Ivan Mehta is reachable at ivanmehta[at]gmail.com and you can expect more from him in consumer technology here at Engadget. He has encrypted Signal, use ivan.42 to contact him there.