How AI browsers (like Dia & Genspark) could change internet use

AI-first browsers are moving the web beyond typing a query and clicking blue links. Tools like Dia from The Browser Company and Genspark are building browsing experiences where you talk to your browser, it understands the context of your tabs, and it can even take actions for you. If this approach sticks, everyday internet use could shift from search-and-navigate to conversational, predictive, and highly personalised journeys.

What is an AI-first browser?

Traditional browsers render pages and leave the “thinking” to you. AI-first browsers put a model at the centre of the UI. Dia is pitched as “an AI browser” that lets you chat with your tabs, summarising pages, drafting in your own voice, planning, and shopping with built-in privacy controls, so the assistant sees what you see and works inline with your browsing. Genspark takes a different route: it runs on-device AI (choose from many open-weight models) and adds “full agentic” modes, ad-blocking, and an autopilot that can execute multi-step tasks.

From search box to conversation

In AI browsers, the main interaction becomes a conversation: “Find me sources, compare them, draft an outline, and collect quotes,” rather than ten separate searches. The trend isn’t limited to newcomers, Microsoft is rolling out Copilot Mode in Edge that lets you talk to the browser about your tabs, organise research, and compare information without constant tab-switching. That validates the broader shift toward chat-native navigation.

Predictive, proactive browsing

The next leap is agentic behaviour, the browser anticipates steps and, with permission, performs them. Genspark markets an Autopilot/Super Agent that can navigate pages, click buttons, fill forms, and extract information, turning tasks like price-hunting, research collation, or content summarisation into background jobs you can supervise. This brings the “assistant that acts” model directly into the browser canvas rather than a separate chatbot. (These are early claims, but they show the direction of travel.)

Personalisation meets privacy

Personalisation comes from context: your open tabs, reading history, and current task. Dia’s pitch is that the assistant understands that context to produce better results with less copy-paste. Genspark’s angle is privacy and speed, on-device models enable AI features even when you’re offline and reduce data leaving your machine, which could appeal to regulated or privacy-sensitive teams.

Early-day caveats

There’s still friction. Early reviewers found Dia promising but questioned whether its UI choices (e.g., tab model and performance) justify switching from existing setups. As with any AI layer, reliability, guardrails, and transparency over what the assistant can access are critical, especially when it’s acting on your behalf. Expect frequent iteration and occasional rough edges while these products mature.

What this means for small businesses

Faster research and proposals

Ask the browser to collect authoritative sources, summarise differences, and draft first-pass copy, then verify before publishing. Edge’s move toward tab-aware assistance hints that this workflow will become mainstream across teams.

Reuters

Operational automation on the web

Agentic modes could handle repetitive web tasks (price checks, stock lookups, form submissions) under your supervision, useful for small teams without custom RPA.

Private, portable AI

On-device models lower vendor lock-in and reduce data transfer, which may help with internal policies and client trust.

Content creation with context

Chat-with-tabs makes it easier to repurpose research into emails, blogs, and proposals directly where you work.

Outlook

The category is accelerating. The Browser Company has re-centred its roadmap around Dia (Arc now receives maintenance/security updates), while incumbents add AI modes to keep pace. Expect rapid competition on quality of answers, agent safety, and privacy more than raw model size. For most users, the litmus test will be: does this browser reliably save me time without surprises?

Practical next steps

Trial in parallel

Pilot Dia and Genspark on non-critical workflows for two weeks. Compare time saved on a few repeatable tasks (research brief, price comparison, content draft).

Define guardrails

Decide what data the assistant can access (tabs, history, cookies). Turn off anything you don’t need; document approvals for any autopilot actions.

Measure outcomes

Track time saved, accuracy (manual spot-checks), and any errors. If results are strong, standardise a “browser-as-assistant” playbook for your team.