Anthropic has unveiled a research preview of Claude for Chrome, a browser-based AI agent powered by its Claude AI models, marking a significant move into the competitive AI-integrated browser landscape.
The initial rollout of Claude for Chrome is limited to 1,000 subscribers on Anthropic’s Max plan, which costs between $100 and $200 per month. A waitlist has been established for other interested users.
By installing a dedicated Chrome extension, users can interact with Claude via a sidecar window, allowing the AI to maintain awareness of the user’s browser activity and context. Users can also grant Claude permission to execute actions within their browser, effectively delegating tasks to the AI agent.
The integration of AI into web browsers is a key area of competition among AI labs, with companies seeking to create seamless connections between AI systems and users. Perplexity recently launched Comet, its own AI-powered browser, while OpenAI is reportedly nearing the launch of its AI-powered browser. Google has also introduced Gemini integrations with Chrome.
Interest in AI-powered browsers is further fueled by Google’s ongoing antitrust case, with a final decision anticipated soon. The presiding federal judge has indicated the possibility of mandating Google to divest its Chrome browser, prompting Perplexity to submit an unsolicited $34.5 billion offer to acquire Chrome. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed interest in potentially acquiring the browser.
Anthropic addressed potential safety risks associated with AI agents possessing browser access, citing a vulnerability in Comet’s browser agent identified by Brave’s security team. Perplexity’s head of communications, Jesse Dwyer, stated that the vulnerability has been addressed. Anthropic emphasized its commitment to addressing security concerns through the research preview program, reporting a reduction in the success rate of prompt injection attacks from 23.6% to 11.2%.
Users can restrict Claude’s browser agent access to specific sites through the app’s settings. Anthropic has implemented default restrictions, preventing Claude from accessing financial services, adult content, or pirated material. Claude’s browser agent requests user permission before undertaking high-risk actions like publishing, purchasing, or sharing personal data.
Anthropic’s exploration of AI models controlling computer screens dates back to October 2024, with the launch of an AI agent that could control a PC. Although initial testing revealed limitations, modern browser-using AI agents like Comet and ChatGPT Agent demonstrate greater reliability in performing simple tasks. However, many agentic systems continue to face challenges with complex problems.
