GoKawiilOpera One adds WebAI support, enabling Apple's on-device model in browser
Opera announced that Opera One is now the first of its browsers to support WebAI, a proposed web standard for accessing AI models running locally on a device. The feature lets users run models including Google's Gemma and, on Macs, Apple's on-device foundation model directly within the browser, with Opera GX and Opera Neon to gain the capability later. Opera says the feature is opt-in, free, requires no subscription, and lets users choose which sites can access local models.
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By building local AI access into the browser itself, Opera could let extension developers add AI features without paying for cloud inference or handling user data, which may lower costs and privacy risks for smaller developers. The move also signals growing momentum behind WebAI as a cross-company standard, backed by Google and Microsoft according to Opera, which could push other browsers toward similar on-device AI integration. Whether this meaningfully shifts how people use browser AI depends on how many sites and extensions adopt the standard.
- Opera One becomes the first Opera browser to support the WebAI standard for local AI models.
- Mac users can access Apple's on-device foundation model and Google's Gemma directly in-browser.
- The feature is opt-in, free, and keeps data processing on the user's own device.
Apple MacBook Air M3 — Since Apple's on-device foundation model and local AI features run best on Apple Silicon, a MacBook Air with the M3 chip is a great way to experience Opera's new WebAI feature smoothly. Its efficient neural engine is built for exactly this kind of on-device AI processing, letting you browse with local AI models without draining your battery.
See Apple MacBook Air M3 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: 9to5mac.com — Marcus Mendes, 2026-10-27
Published there as: “Opera One now lets Mac users run Apple’s foundation model directly in the browser”
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