The fifth-largest web browser in the world, Opera, has over 300 million users worldwide, across its various range of products on mobile and desktop combined. The firm accumulates a copious amount of data which could be combined with AI technologies to intelligently offer content to its users. The firm comprehends the extensive application of AI and has announced its plan of integrating the technology into its products. Sunil Kamath, Vice President, South Asia and South-east Asia, Opera Software remarks, “AI will help us be more predictive in providing consumers with what they want. AI will form the very core of our business practice.”
Opera invested towards integrating AI, and 2017 could be the year when the firm combines the technology with all its products, viz, Opera web browser on the desktop, Opera Mini on Android smartphones, and Opera Max VPN. The company’s new Chinese parent, KunlunTech has already established a team in Beijing, which collaborates with Opera’s team in Scandinavia, towards designing a new AI platform.
The Neon browser, launched recently by Opera, is an offbeat experimental web browsing project. The firm plans to use the browser as a testbed for all its upcoming projects. This will help the firm realize its dream of bringing in AI. “Neon will serve as a testbed for us. This will help us test our new technologies and obtain feedback from the consumers,” notes Sunil.
The new parent firm, Kunlun has definitely driven Opera in the directions of leveraging AI. However, Opera’s core technology and product team are still based out of Scandinavia. Additionally, the owner of Kunlun Tech is striving at promoting a culture where Kunlun learns from Opera Software. Being privately held by Kunlun, Opera doesn’t have to face the heat of the stock market. “Being a private company now, we are very aggressive about how we build market share,” adds Sunil.
