In a significant move to monetize the next generation of web browsing, Opera has officially launched public early access for its AI-powered browser, Neon. Priced at a premium USD 19.90 per month, Neon promises a deeply integrated, agentic AI experience but arrives amidst growing cybersecurity warnings about the very technology it champions. This launch places Opera in direct competition with other AI-first browsers like Perplexity's Comet and OpenAI's Atlas, signaling a pivotal shift in how companies envision our future interaction with the web.
A Premium AI-Powered Workspace
Opera Neon is positioned not as a simple browser upgrade but as an "agentic workspace." Its core functionality revolves around four specialized AI agents deeply woven into the browsing experience. The 'Chat' agent functions as a conventional chatbot for queries and conversations. More ambitiously, the 'Neon Do' agent can autonomously navigate the internet to research topics and compile findings directly into documents like Google Docs. For creators, 'Neon Make' serves as a studio for generating code, applications, images, and videos. Finally, the 'ODRA' agent is designed for deep research, capable of breaking down complex subjects into structured, exportable reports.
Opera Neon Key Specifications & Pricing
- Launch Date: Public Early Access began December 11, 2025.
- Price: USD 19.90 per month subscription.
- Core AI Models Included: Gemini 3 Pro, OpenAI GPT 5.1, Veo 3.1, Nano Banana Pro.
- Key AI Agents:
- Chat: Standard conversational chatbot.
- Neon Do: Autonomous web navigation and task completion.
- Neon Make: Content generation (code, apps, images, videos).
- ODRA: Deep research and report generation.
- Unique Feature: "Tasks" workspace organizing AI chats and related tabs.
- Community: Access to dedicated Opera Discord for subscribers.
The High Cost of Cutting-Edge AI
The subscription fee of USD 19.90 (approximately CNY 140.8) is a stark departure from the free-to-use model of traditional browsers. Opera justifies this cost by bundling access to several high-end, typically paid AI models, including Google's Gemini 3 Pro, OpenAI's GPT-5.1, Veo 3.1, and Nano Banana Pro. The company emphasizes that Neon is for users who want to be on the bleeding edge, with Krystian Kolondra, Opera's browser business executive vice president, stating the project will see "major changes" every week. Subscribers also gain access to a dedicated Discord community for direct interaction with the development team.
Inherent Security Risks and Industry Warnings
The launch comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for AI browsers. Just a week prior, analyst firm Gartner recommended that companies block employee use of such browsers due to unique security vulnerabilities. The primary concern is a novel threat called "indirect prompt injection." Because AI agents can autonomously interact with web content, they could be tricked by malicious code on a webpage into ignoring their safety protocols. This could lead to the agent divulging sensitive user data from its context—like browsing history or open tabs—or performing unauthorized actions.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre reinforced these concerns, noting there is a "good chance prompt injection will never be properly mitigated" and that systems must be designed to tolerate the residual risk. Opera has already faced this issue; in October, security researchers alerted the company to a specific prompt-injection vulnerability in Neon, which Opera says it has since patched.
Security Concerns Highlighted by Experts
- Primary Threat: Indirect Prompt Injection attacks, where AI agents are tricked by malicious web content.
- Potential Impact: Exposure of sensitive user data (browsing history, open tabs) or unauthorized agent actions.
- Industry Stance:
- Gartner (Dec 2025): Recommended companies block employee use of AI browsers.
- UK NCSC: Warned prompt injection may never be fully mitigated; systems must be designed for residual risk.
- Vulnerability History: Opera patched a specific prompt-injection flaw in Neon reported by researchers in October 2025.
The Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook
Neon enters a nascent but competitive market. It goes beyond the AI features being added to mainstream browsers like Chrome and Edge by building the entire interface around autonomous AI agents. Its "Tasks" feature, which groups AI conversations and related tabs into workspaces, echoes functionality seen in browsers like Arc. The industry is actively seeking solutions to the security dilemma, with Google recently proposing a "User Alignment Critic"—a separate AI model designed to vet an agent's plans before execution.
For now, the message from security experts is clear: while the capabilities of AI browsers like Opera Neon are impressive, the associated risks are significant and not yet fully solved. For most users, it may be prudent to observe how this technology and its safeguards evolve on the open web before committing to a premium subscription.