Vivaldi launches a new version of its browser and deliberately chooses not to spotlight AI.
The Vivaldi browser puts on a new look starting today. Vivaldi announced version 7.0 in a blog. Not just any update, but a completely new browser, according to Vivaldi. The main novelty in the central dashboard, which includes a news feed, your calendar, your tasks and notes.
What is striking, and frankly slightly refreshing, is the lack of references to AI in the announcement. We can’t read a press release or blog these days without the acronym being used appropriately, and equally inappropriately. Announcements in the IT world are no longer relevant if it has nothing to do with AI.
Forced AI
Vivaldi is just choosing deliberately not to talk about AI, Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, CEO of the company behind the Vivaldi browser, explained to PC World. “We don’t see AI as something our users are asking for. Rather the opposite. I think many people just react negatively to forced AI,” von Tetzchner said.
The epitome of “forced AI,” according to von Tetzchner, is Windows Recall. Despite headwinds from all corners, Microsoft is still trying to push the controversial feature through in Windows. “The idea of taking a screenshot of your screen every five seconds makes you think, right? And then the question is, is the functionality you get in return really worth it?”
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Against the grain: Vivaldi does not run high with ‘forced’ AI
It’s certainly not that Vivaldi is completely renouncing AI, but the browser doesn’t think it should be a functionality in itself. “If our users want AI, they can use it, but they don’t want it to be in the browser. The fact that it is being pushed so heavily indicates that there is more behind it than just wanting to provide a nice feature. If the feature is so great, you don’t need to push it so hard,” von Tetzchner concludes the argument.
I think a lot of people just react negatively to forced AI. If a feature is so great, you don’t need to push it so hard.
Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, CEO Vivaldi (via PC World)