Anthropic has launched a research preview of its Claude for Chrome extension, giving select users the ability to interact with its AI agent directly in the browser. The tool can maintain context from the user’s browsing session, assist in tasks, and even take actions with permission. This move positions Anthropic against rivals like Perplexity, OpenAI, and Google in what is quickly becoming the next major AI battleground: the web browser.

Key Points

• Launch details: Claude for Chrome is available to 1,000 subscribers of Anthropic’s $100–$200/month Max plan, with a waitlist for others.
• Functionality: Users can chat with Claude in a sidecar window and authorize it to perform tasks inside Chrome.
• Industry context:
  • Perplexity launched Comet, an AI browser.
  • OpenAI is reportedly developing its own AI-powered browser.
  • Google has already integrated Gemini into Chrome.
• Regulatory backdrop: Google’s antitrust case may force it to sell Chrome; Perplexity even made a $34.5 billion bid, and Sam Altman suggested OpenAI might buy it.
• Safety concerns: Browser-based AI agents face prompt injection risks. Brave flagged vulnerabilities in Comet, though Perplexity says they were fixed.
• Anthropic’s safety measures:
  • Defenses lowered successful prompt injection attempts from 23.6% to 11.2%.
  • Blocked high-risk sites (finance, adult, piracy).
  • Requires explicit permission for sensitive actions (purchases, publishing, personal data).
• Past experiments: In 2024, Anthropic tested an AI agent that could control a PC, but it was slow and unreliable. Browser-based agents now perform better but still struggle with complex tasks.

Key Quotes

• On security risks: “Anthropic warned that the rise of AI agents with browser access poses new safety risks.”
• On improvements: “The company says its interventions reduced the success rate of prompt injection attacks from 23.6% to 11.2%.”
• On protections: “Claude’s browser agent will ask for user permission before ‘taking high-risk actions like publishing, purchasing, or sharing personal data.’”

Implications

Anthropic’s move highlights how the browser is becoming the front line of AI adoption, with companies racing to integrate agents that can not only assist but act for users. The antitrust uncertainty around Chrome adds high stakes — ownership of the browser could shift, changing the entire ecosystem. At the same time, safety concerns remain a central issue: while these agents are becoming more capable, their exposure to the open web makes them vulnerable to new types of attacks. For now, Anthropic is positioning itself as both an innovator and a cautious steward in this evolving space.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/26/anthropic-launches-a-claude-ai-agent-that-lives-in-chrome/

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