For years, the URL bar in web browsers has served a dual purpose. Users can enter web addresses or conduct search requests. Now, Norton is introducing a new “free” browser called Neo, which adds a third function: AI prompting.
Although Norton currently offers the Norton Private Browser, which is similar, it lacks AI capabilities. Neo replaces the traditional search/URL bar with a feature called the “magic box,” designed to allow users to “search, generate, and take action.” While it is not yet clear whose AI technology will power this new browser feature or whether it will function through cloud processing or locally, the magic box will enable users to perform AI-driven tasks such as drafting emails right from the browser. In addition to its AI enhancements, Norton plans to implement a feature called table browsing.
This aims to minimize tab-related chaos, with Neo promising to organize everything for users. Instead of eliminating tabs altogether, the browser will use AI to automatically group them, streamlining browsing experiences. Neo will also include an integrated ad blocker, which is becoming increasingly common in modern web browsers.
Norton assures users that it will not sell their browsing data, opting instead to use “minimal, anonymized data” for its purposes. Notably, Norton has stated that it will not use user data to train its AI. While Norton does not explicitly confirm that Neo is built on Chromium—the open-source foundation of browsers like Chrome and Edge—users can still utilize Chrome plugins.
Neo is free to download and use during its Alpha testing phase, although Norton hints at the possibility of introducing optional premium features in the future. As most users primarily opt for Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, Neo joins a growing list of third-party browsers, such as Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi, that aim to provide more than conventional options.