Microsoft is making perhaps the most ambitious attempt to turn a classic web browser into an AI operating system for the Internet. The company introduced a major update to Microsoft Edge that allows Microsoft Copilot to access the content of all open tabs and use them as a shared context during a conversation with the user.
At first glance, the function seems like a handy AI plugin for the browser. In practice, however, it shows a much broader change: the browser is no longer just a tool for displaying web pages, but an active AI agent that tries to understand what the user is doing, researching and planning. Until now, AI assistants in browsers were mostly limited to the active tab or individual queries. Microsoft is now removing that limit.
Copilot can analyze multiple open pages at the same time, so the user can search for product comparisons between different sites, a summary of multiple articles, or help during research without manually switching between tabs.
That’s an important step because AI gets a much broader context of what the user is actually trying to do. In other words, the browser begins to “understand the task”, and not just the individual page.
Microsoft is slowly shutting down the old Edge
This change comes after a months-long transformation of Edge into an AI-centric platform. Back in 2025, Microsoft introduced Copilot Mode, which was able to access open tabs and perform certain tasks such as reservations or searching through multiple pages.
Now the company practically integrates these features directly into the basic browser experience. At the same time, Microsoft is canceling some older functions of Edge and giving more and more space to the Copilot interface. This shows that Edge is no longer conceived as a traditional browser with an AI plugin, but as an AI platform for which browsing is only one of its functions.
AI podcasts, quizzes and “study mode”
Microsoft is also introducing a number of new AI functions that further change the way of using the Internet.
Edge can now turn open tabs into AI-generated podcast episodes, similar to the features Google is developing for NotebookLM. There’s also a new “Study and Learn” mode that can turn articles into interactive quizzes and learning sessions.
The company is also introducing an AI writing assistant that automatically appears when the user starts typing on certain sites. All of this shows that Microsoft wants AI to be present throughout the entire browsing experience, not just when the user explicitly opens the chatbot.
Long-term memory and privacy
Perhaps the most controversial part of the new features is the ability for Copilot to gain access to search history and develop long-term memory about the user. Microsoft claims that users will have control over which features they want to activate, as well as clear visual indicators when the AI is accessing certain data.
However, the very idea of a browser that remembers habits, history and usage context raises serious privacy issues. The browser already represents one of the most sensitive points of the user’s digital life, as it contains a practically complete overview of their interests, communication and activities.
A new battle for the future of browsers
Microsoft isn’t the only one going this route. Google is integrating Gemini into Google Chrome, while startups like Perplexity and Arc are trying to redefine the browser as an AI assistant for the Internet.
But Microsoft is going the most aggressive way right now.
The company apparently believes that the browser will become the central place for AI agents who not only answer questions, but actively participate in the user’s work, organize information and perform tasks. This is a big change compared to the previous model of the Internet, where the user was the one who manually searches, compares and organizes information.
The new Edge shows how Microsoft sees the future of browsing: less manual work, fewer tabs and more AI assistance that understands the wider context of the user. But at the same time, this transformation also opens important questions about privacy, control and how much information we will leave to AI systems that are becoming more and more present in our daily work, writes The Verge.