Opera One adds local AI support for Mac with Apple’s on-device model

Opera said on Oct. 27, 2026, that Opera One now includes a preview feature for Mac users that can run local AI models directly in the browser through WebAI, a proposed web standard. The company said the new tool is the first built into one of its browsers, with Opera GX and Opera Neon expected to get it later.

How the new feature works

According to Opera, WebAI allows websites and browser extensions to use AI models that run on the user’s own device instead of in the cloud. Opera described its version as model-agnostic and built around open models, giving users a choice among AI providers.

At launch, Opera said users can access Google’s Gemma model and, on Macs, Apple’s on-device foundation model inside Opera One.

• The feature is available as a preview in Opera One.
• It is opt-in and does not require a subscription.
• Users can decide which websites are allowed to access local AI models.
• Opera said the feature works with models running on the device, not on remote servers.

Why Opera says local AI matters

Opera said local AI can be used for tasks such as generating text, classifying content, and finding relationships between pieces of information. The company also said developers can build features on top of free, open-weight models without having to run their own AI systems or pay for each request.

For users, Opera said the main appeal is privacy and control. Because the AI processing stays on the device, the company says the information handled by the model does not need to be sent to an AI service, and users do not need a separate AI subscription to try the feature.

Opera said the browser could support uses such as sorting tabs, flagging clickbait, or identifying relevant job posts through a model running on a laptop. The company also released example extensions to show what developers can build with WebAI.

What WebAI means for the browser market

Opera’s announcement places local AI in the browser in a broader push toward web standards that let sites and extensions use on-device models. The company said WebAI is backed by companies including Google and Microsoft, although Opera’s own implementation focuses on open-weight models and user choice.

Opera said its browser is the first in its lineup to offer built-in access to local AI models, setting up a rollout later to Opera GX and Opera Neon. For ordinary users, that could mean more AI tools inside the browser without extra fees or cloud dependence, while keeping more data on the device.

Opera also adds a separate design feature

Alongside WebAI, Opera announced HTML-in-Canvas, a feature that lets developers place real, interactive web pages inside 2D and 3D scenes. Opera said pages embedded this way can still keep working elements such as menus, buttons, and forms, and that developers can use familiar HTML and CSS to build them.

Opera GX product director Maciej Kocemba said the feature lets users put a real web page into a 3D world while keeping the page functional. Opera also showed two examples, called Webpage Bulldozer and Gamer Room, to demonstrate the idea.

Source: Marcus Mendes