Are Google’s Chrome and Microsoft’s Edge still dominant? The latest AI browser Arc turns out to be
Do Google ’s Chrome and Microsoft ’s Edge have new rivals? The new startup The Broswer Company recently launched the AI browser “Arc”. Some reporters even said, “After using it, you can’t go back to the original Chrome.” “Foresight” will take you to take stock of which of these three browsers compares. Easy to use?
For many years, Google has been the first stop for people to surf the Internet and find information. Many competitors want a piece of the pie, but they have never been able to shake Google’s influence. Until now, the AI trend has swept the world. After major technology companies began to integrate AI with browsers, an AI browser emerged that was rated as a Google Chrome alternative by the technology media “The Verge”: Arc!
Not just a browser, but the “operating system of the Internet”
“The Verge” reported that Arc was launched by a new startup, The Broswer Company. This AI browser has the same core chromium as Chrome, but the way it operates is completely different from other browsers, and it takes some time to get used to it.
The Broswer Company, which launched Arc, was founded in 2019 by former meta employees Hursh Agrawal and Josh Miller. The company raised $5 million from investors in 2021 with the goal of creating a new web browsing experience.
CEO Miller pointed out that Arc is not just a browser, but also an “operating system for the Internet.” It has various tools to control applications and content. It can turn pagination and bookmarks into computer-like applications, and can also Build your own browser application.
In particular, the way Arc provides content is similar to TikTok’s algorithm. It will not only have a fixed website, but will focus on “Browse for You”. After the user enters the search term, Arc will automatically mine it. Relevant information and instantly generate a short, customized web page form.
The emergence of Arc surprised everyone. “The Verge” described Arc as not only changing the browser, but even “redefining” the rules of the browser.
To make copywriting more beautiful, Chrome launches AI-assisted writing “Write for me”
As for Google Chrome, which currently has the largest browser market share, it has recently launched an experimental AI text generation function called “Help me write”. It can generate a piece of text based on the content of the web page and give suggestions suitable for the user. . However, this feature is currently only available in the United States and is limited to the Mac and Windows PC versions of the Chrome browser.
“The Verge” reported that the focus of “Write for Me” is to provide writing suggestions for short content, such as filling out questionnaires, reviews, checking product information, or writing descriptions of online products. For example, if you were on a review page for a product you were shopping for online, it would provide content that looked more like a review rather than text that read like sales copy.
In addition to the “Write for me” function, Chrome also has two AI functions: “Pagination” and “Generating themes with AI”.
The so-called “pagination organization” means that Chrome will automatically make suggestions and create pagination groups based on the tabs you open. This is especially helpful when planning travel, shopping and work at the same time. Chrome will even suggest names or emojis for these paginated groups, making it easy for users to find them next time they need them.
Another function is “generate theme with AI”. Without complicated instructions, the system will quickly generate a custom theme based on the theme, mood, visual style and color selected by the user, allowing users to customize the appearance of their browser.
A new working model: Copilot
Microsoft’s AI browser is Microsoft 365 Copilot integrated in Edge, which can help people generate documents, emails or briefings, etc., just like the previous Office Paperclip Assistant (Clippy).
Jared Spataro, head of Microsoft 365, pointed out that Copilot can be embedded into the Office software used in people’s daily lives, “like a new working model.”
However, Spatalo mentioned that although Copilot has flaws, it can save a lot of tedious work and allow users to be “one step ahead.”
Only the browser that suits you best
After all, which one of these three AI browsers is easier to use?
“Business Insider” reporter Melia Russell shared her experience using Arc and said she might not go back to Chrome.
Russell mentioned that the first thing she likes about Arc is the “space” function, which can separate work and life, allowing her to focus more on one thing and be less likely to be distracted.
The second is the “sidebar” function. Although it sounds trivial, it can make confusing web browsing more orderly. “Arc’s sidebar displays more website titles than other browsers, making it easier for me to browse. Find the correct page.”
What I don’t like is that Arc doesn’t play well with other applications.
Russell gave an example. When her colleague uploaded a news item to the collaborative platform Slack and browsed a shopping website and X post at the same time, she thought the browser would add new pagination, but Arc opened an additional pop-up window “Little Arc”. An already confusing browser just got worse.
However, after using it for eight months, Russell still prefers Arc, and she has also figured out a usage pattern that suits her.
In addition, because Edge uses the same chromium engine as Chrome, people often compare it. Some people think that Edge’s loading speed and memory usage efficiency are far better than Chrome. Some people think that Chrome’s functions are already quite familiar. , it is difficult to change browsers.
Indeed, Edge’s growth is obvious to all. According to the latest data from statistics website Statcounter, although Edge’s global market share is still far behind Chrome, its monthly growth is quite astonishing, rising from 5.5% to 11.9%, setting a new record high.
Overall, there are hundreds of browsers. Perhaps, there is no best browser in the world, only the browser that is most suitable for you.
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