Opera is making it easier for websites to use AI models running directly on users’ computers rather than relying entirely on cloud services.

The company has introduced WebAI, an implementation of a proposed web standard that allows developers to access compatible local AI models through the browser. The approach could reduce reliance on external AI providers while giving users more control over how certain AI tasks are processed.

If the proposal gains wider adoption, it could help cut down AI costs, while giving privacy-conscious AI users an alternative to the cloud.

But Opera’s implementation is only a starting point: broader adoption will depend on browser support, model compatibility, and, more importantly, device specifications — all issues that can lock out users who may want to benefit from the feature.

How Opera’s WebAI works

WebAI by Opera is not an AI model; it is Opera’s implementation of a proposed web standard that gives developers APIs to access AI capabilities through the browser.

This…