BrowserOS Detailed Introduction Document

Project Overview

BrowserOS is an open-source intelligent proxy browser that supports running AI agents locally. It serves as a privacy-first alternative to Perplexity Comet. The project focuses on providing a privacy-first browsing experience – using your own API keys or running local models via Ollama, your data stays on your computer.

Core Features

🤖 Local AI Agents

• AI agents run on your browser, not in the cloud
• Integrate powerful AI agents directly into BrowserOS using browser-use and computer-use models. Automate any tedious workflow, all running on your machine
• Supports complex workflow automation, from form filling to in-depth research

🔒 Privacy Protection

• Privacy-first - use your own keys or local models via Ollama. Your browsing history stays on your computer
• We are not a search or advertising company. Your data remains local with built-in Ollama support. We are also building an LLM-based ad blocker
• All AI processing is done on your local device or via your personal API key

🏠 Familiar Interface

• Feels like home - the same familiar interface as Google Chrome, compatible with all your extensions
• Built on Chromium, ensuring compatibility with existing Chrome extensions and a familiar user interface
• No learning curve, you can import data directly from Chrome

🚀 Open-Source & Community-Driven

• Open-source and community-driven - know exactly what's happening under the hood
• BrowserOS is an open-source project under the AGPL-3.0 license
• Fully transparent, ready to be forked at any time

Key Features

AI Model Support

BrowserOS supports OpenAI's GPT models, Anthropic's Claude, Google's Gemini, and local models via Ollama. You can even run multiple models side-by-side in a split-screen view.

Supported AI Providers:

• OpenAI GPT Models: GPT-3.5, GPT-4, etc.
• Anthropic Claude: Claude-3 series models
• Google Gemini: Gemini Pro, etc.
• Local Models: Supports various open-source models via Ollama

Automation Capabilities

Let BrowserOS handle repetitive tasks. Schedule meetings, fill forms, and manage recurring tasks with just a few clicks. Let BrowserOS take care of it, so you can focus on what truly matters.

Key Automation Capabilities:

• Automated Form Filling: Intelligently identifies and fills various forms
• Meeting Scheduling: Automates calendar management
• Data Extraction: Extracts structured data from web pages
• Shopping Automation: Repeats orders and compares prices
• Social Media Management: Automates social media interactions

Productivity Tools

Built-in native highlighter and a ChatGPT-powered bookmark manager. Perform semantic searches on your browsing history, bookmarks, and more. Ask anything from "What's our onboarding process?" to "Who's handling this bug?"

Core Productivity Features:

• Smart Highlighter: Native web page highlighting functionality
• AI-Powered Bookmarks: Intelligently organizes and searches bookmarks
• Semantic Search: Uses natural language to search browsing history
• Multi-Model Comparison: Uses multiple AI models simultaneously for comparison

Upcoming Features

Coming soon: MCP Store, one-click installation of popular MCPs and direct use in the browser bar Coming soon: Built-in AI ad blocker for more scenarios

Technical Architecture

Core Technology Stack

• Core: Built on Chromium
• Open-Source License: AGPL-3.0
• Platform Support: macOS, Windows (Linux coming soon)
• Extension Compatibility: Full support for Chrome extensions

AI Integration

• Local Processing: Supports Ollama for local model execution
• API Integration: Supports mainstream AI service providers
• MCP Protocol: Supports Model Context Protocol for AI-browser communication
• Browser-Use: Integrates the browser-use library for browser automation

Installation and Usage

System Requirements

BrowserOS runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. If your computer can run Google Chrome, it can run BrowserOS.

Installation Steps

1. Download Installer: Download the version suitable for your operating system from the GitHub releases page
2. Import Chrome Data (Optional): You can import existing Chrome bookmarks, browsing history, and saved passwords
3. Configure AI Provider:
   • Enter API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, etc., or
   • Set up local AI models via Ollama integration
4. Start Automating: Begin automating your work with AI agents

Basic Usage

# Download and install BrowserOS
# Download from https://github.com/browseros-ai/BrowserOS/releases

# Import Chrome data (optional)
# In settings, select "Import Chrome data"

# Configure AI provider
# Method 1: Use API keys
# In settings, enter OpenAI, Claude, etc. API keys

# Method 2: Use local models
# Install Ollama: https://ollama.ai
# Configure local model address in BrowserOS settings

Use Cases

Developers & Tech Enthusiasts

• Leverage open-source features to customize AI agents or automation scripts
• Supports code parsing and document analysis
• Quickly understand technical content or debug code

Researchers & Students

• Use web summarization and translation features
• Quickly extract key points from articles
• Translate foreign language content to Chinese to improve reading efficiency

AI Researchers

• Utilize multi-model comparison features
• Test the performance of different models on the same problem
• Suitable for academic research or model evaluation

Enterprise Users

• Enterprise-grade privacy and security protection
• Local AI processing ensures data control
• Deployable with self-owned AI infrastructure

Competitive Advantages

vs Chrome

While we appreciate Google open-sourcing Chromium, Chrome hasn't seen much progress in 10 years. No AI features, no automation, no MCP support.

vs Brave

We liked Brave's start, but they've spread themselves too thin with crypto, search, VPN. We focus on AI-driven browsing.

vs Arc/Dia

Many people like Arc, but it's closed-source. When they abandon users, there's no recourse. We are 100% open-source - ready to be forked!

vs Perplexity Comet

They are a search/advertising company. Your browsing history becomes their product. We keep everything local.

Cost and Pricing

BrowserOS itself is completely free and open-source. If you choose to use cloud providers like OpenAI or Anthropic, you only pay for AI API usage. Using local models with Ollama is completely free.

Cost Structure

• BrowserOS Software: Completely free (open-source)
• Cloud AI Services: Pay-per-use (if chosen)
• Local Models: Completely free (only consumes local computing resources)

Privacy and Security

Data Protection

• All AI processing is done on the local device or via personal API keys
• Never collects browsing data
• Supports fully localized Ollama models, data never leaves your machine

Security Features

• Enterprise-grade privacy and security protection
• Local AI processing ensures complete data control
• Complies with various compliance requirements

Community and Support

How to Get Involved

• GitHub: https://github.com/browseros-ai/BrowserOS
• Discord Community: Real-time support and discussions
• Feature Requests: Anonymously suggest new features
• Contribute Code: Developers of all skill levels are welcome

Future Development

Short-Term Plans

• Linux platform support
• MCP Store launch
• AI ad blocker refinement
• More automation templates

Long-Term Vision

For the first time since Netscape in 1994, it feels like we can reimagine the browser from the ground up. We've seen how Cursor provided a 10x productivity boost for developers, but browsers feel stuck in the past.

The team believes AI agents should securely automate work locally, rather than sending user data to search or advertising companies.

Summary

BrowserOS represents a significant innovation in browser technology, integrating AI agents directly into the browser while maintaining user privacy and data security. As a fully open-source project, it offers users a truly controllable, transparent, and powerful browsing experience.