Microsoft really wants you to start using its Edge web browser

Jyoti Mann
·2 min read
Microsoft Edge logo on a phone with Microsoft's logo behind it
Microsoft is bringing a new AI feature to Edge.NurPhoto

  • Microsoft is adding an AI feature to its Edge web browser in an apparent bid to win more users.

  • Rival web browsers Chrome and Safari are far more popular than Edge, StatCounter data shows.

  • Google added AI features for its browser in January, and Apple is rumored to roll some out too.

Microsoft might be the most valuable listed company, but it's failed to get very many people to abandon Chrome or Safari in favor of its own web browser.

However, Edge may become a little more enticing with the addition of a new AI feature.

Microsoft plans to launch an "AI theme generator" next month that will let users create their own browser themes by using a text prompter to create images.

"Applying the theme includes setting the generated image on the Edge new tab page, and applying the image's dominant color to the browser frame," according to an update to its 365 road map.

Microsoft Edge launched in 2015 to rival web browsers Google Chrome and Apple's Safari. It was intended to replace Internet Explorer, which was retired in 2022.

Chrome is the web browser for most internet users. Data from StatCounter shows the Google offering had a global market share of more than 65% in April. Safari had more than 18%, with Edge lagging behind on about 5%.

In January, Google announced three new generative AI features for Chrome. They include a browser theme generator, a tab organizer that suggests and creates tab groups based on a user's open tabs, and a tool called "Help Me Write" to assist users in writing pieces such as reviews.

According to Apple Insider, Apple is gearing up to launch an AI browser assistant called "Intelligent Search" that can automatically generate summaries of web pages by identifying subjects and key phrases. It's expected to be announced with the rollout of its latest iOS 18 update at its Worldwide Developers Conference next month.

Microsoft didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider