Katarzyna Petru
Claude for Chrome – test version for selected users
Anthropic has launched a new AI agent that works directly in Google Chrome. Claude for Chrome is available to 1000 subscribers of the Max plan (100–200 AUD per month). Others interested can sign up for the waiting list.
The extension allows for conversations with Claude in a sidebar that preserves the context of the pages being viewed. Additionally, the agent – with the user's consent – can perform certain tasks in the browser.
Race for the AI Browser
The browser is becoming a new battleground. Perplexity already has its own Comet, Google has added Gemini integrations, and OpenAI is preparing a similar solution. The stakes are high, especially since Google may be forced to sell Chrome as a result of an antitrust process. Perplexity has already made a purchase offer of USD 34.5 billion, and Sam Altman from OpenAI has also suggested a desire to acquire.
Security and Prompt Injection Attacks
Anthropic acknowledges that agents with access to the browser pose a serious risk. An example is the recent vulnerabilities in Comet by Perplexity, which could have allowed websites to invoke unwanted actions by the agent.
The company has already implemented safeguards – the effectiveness of prompt injection attacks has dropped from 23.6% to 11.2%. Additionally, Claude has default access blocked to financial sites, adult content, or pirated material. For "high-risk" actions, such as purchases or sharing personal data, the agent always asks for consent.
Another step after the agent on PC
This is not Anthropic's first attempt in this direction. In 2024, the company showcased an agent that could control a computer, but it was slow and unstable. Today, the situation looks different – agents operating in the browser are becoming increasingly useful. Comet and ChatGPT Agent handle simple tasks, although complex challenges are still an issue.
