Vivaldi 7.8: A middle finger to AI
According to Vivaldi, meaningful tab sorting and tools are "features that users actually want" – unlike AI assistance.
Vivaldi says you should be in control yourself, rather than letting AI do it.
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Vivaldi knows how to get attention: by writing in a blog post that it's giving the middle finger to AI-first approaches. The browser manufacturer also believes that human intelligence, paired with powerful tools, will always prevail over algorithmic assistants. These tools are apparently primarily those that sort content and make sought-after information findable. Tabs, to be precise.
With the new Vivaldi 7.8, a new tab system is being introduced. Drag-and-drop tab tiling, for example, allows for side-by-side displays, a kind of split-screen. This is intended to help when, for instance, you want to compare prices, compare data live, or need a reference document. With Vivaldi, you can create any number of subdivisions, whereas Chrome and Edge are limited to two split screens, according to the manufacturer.
AI takes the helm
“The entire browser industry is solving the wrong problem. It's developing assistants that filter what you see, decide what you don't see, and ultimately outsource your judgment. We are developing tools that expand your ability to explore, compare, and think. One approach treats you like a passenger. The other treats you like a pilot,” writes Jon von Tetzchner, CEO of Vivaldi Technologies, in the press release.
New tabs can be opened in a new tab with a right-click. Pinned tabs, for example, for mail, cannot simply be overwritten. The issue of accidentally closing a tab by opening another one there should no longer occur thanks to domain restrictions. Furthermore, there is a new built-in email client that can be opened in all browser windows and workspaces.
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Tetzchner also writes that AI browsers are taking over the lead: “You're not browsing anymore. You are being browsed.”
Vivaldi 7.8 is available immediately for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The European browser manufacturer emphasizes that the browser operates without tracking and does not sell user data.
While Mozilla's Firefox also has AI functions on board, it wants to give users the option to turn everything off. In addition, there are local functions, such as AI-powered summaries.
Conversely, AI companies like OpenAI and Perplexity are trying to offer browsers that are completely based on AI or AI assistants. Turning them off is therefore not possible.
(emw)
