Editor's take: Browser vendors are rushing to pack more AI features into their products, even though many users strongly dislike the trend. For those web "purists," it might be time to take a second look at Vivaldi. The Norwegian company has decided to take a completely different approach in this AI-saturated tech landscape we're currently navigating.
Vivaldi is taking a firm stand against chatbots, large language models, and agentic AIs. According to CEO Jon von Tetzchner, current AI solutions are turning the web into an experience of passive consumption. As a result, the free browser will deliberately avoid adding any "modern" AI features, focusing instead on giving users a tool to actively explore the web.
Major players in the browser industry are doubling down on AI integration, Tetzchner noted in a recent post. Google is building its Gemini chatbot into Chrome, while Microsoft now markets Edge primarily as an "AI browser." Even Mozilla is experimenting with AI-powered features for its shrinking base of Firefox loyalists.
Vivaldi, however, is choosing humanity over hype. Agentic browsers are being designed to navigate the web on users' behalf, and overinflated AI startups like OpenAI and Perplexity are already pushing their own AI-centric browser offerings. While these tools are notorious for security risks and frequent hallucinations, Tetzchner is calling attention to an even deeper problem: the way this technology threatens to reshape the web into something less open and less user-driven.
"These moves are reshaping the address bar into an assistant prompt, turning the joy of exploring into inactive spectatorship," he said.
Tetzchner cited independent research showing the often harmful effects of AI-driven browser technology. Studies reveal that users are far less likely to click on original sources when AI summaries appear in Google search results. That trend means less ad revenue for publishers, creators, and independent outlets, the very people who keep the web vibrant and diverse.
AI-native browsers and agent platforms are on the horizon, Tetzchner warns, and they could fundamentally change how people access information online. This is the next browser war, where the winners will control who mediates access to knowledge and who profits from user traffic.
Vivaldi refuses to turn the joy of active browsing into passive spectatorship. Exploration is crucial to the web's future; without it, curiosity dies and online diversity disappears, Tetzchner said. The company is positioning itself as a safe haven for those who still want to explore the web on their own terms.
While acknowledging the potential of large language models and machine learning, Tetzchner argues that today's implementations mostly fuel misinformation and industrial-scale copyright violations. Until these tools become truly useful, Vivaldi has no intention of adding another shovelful to the growing pile of digital slop.