Opera Mini, the lightweight mobile browser that has become a digital essential across Africa, is set to transform the browsing experience for its more than 100 million users worldwide with the integration of its AI assistant, Aria. This significant upgrade comes as Opera aims to challenge tech giants Google and Microsoft in the rapidly evolving AI-enabled mobile browser landscape.
As of Q1 2025, Opera ranks as the sixth-largest browser globally, holding a 2.2% market share and serving 380 million monthly active users (MAUs), as reported by StatCounter. The browser has a particularly strong presence in Africa, with Kenya as its largest market, boasting 13 million users, or 12% of Opera Mini's global base.
The introduction of Aria promises to enhance the web browsing experience while remaining mindful of the app's lightweight design, crucial for users on affordable, low-spec smartphones in data-sensitive markets such as Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Aria offers a range of advanced capabilities including real-time information retrieval, article summarization, text and code generation, image creation, and intelligent assistance for learning and research—features that are accessible through a user-friendly chat interface without increasing the app's size or data usage.
“AI is rapidly becoming an integral part of the daily internet experience,” stated Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera. “Bringing Aria to Opera Mini is a natural next step for our most-downloaded browser. We’re excited to explore how AI can further enhance the feature set our users rely on every day.”
Powered by Opera’s proprietary Composer AI engine, Aria combines models from OpenAI and Google to provide fast, contextually relevant responses. It incorporates image generation capabilities via Google’s latest Imagen3 model. With this rollout, Aria is now available across all of Opera’s browsers on both desktop and mobile platforms.
The integration of Aria into Opera Mini is designed for seamless user interaction. Accessible from the main menu or the start page, users can chat with Aria to ask questions, generate content, search the web, and execute AI-assisted tasks without leaving their browsing environment. This frictionless experience aligns with Opera Mini's mission to make the internet more accessible, faster, and cost-effective for users in emerging markets.
In regions where mobile data is often prohibitively expensive, Opera Mini has provided a vital, data-conscious solution. Its data-compression technology has been instrumental in bridging the digital divide in markets where internet affordability poses a significant barrier. A recent Opera survey revealed that 59% of Nigerian users believe mobile data is too costly, with over half running out of data before the month’s end. By compressing content and offering promotional data bundles through local telecom partnerships—some users receiving up to 1.5GB of free data monthly—Opera Mini has saved Nigerians an estimated $27 million in data costs.
As companies like Google and Microsoft lead the AI narrative with tools like Gemini and Copilot, Opera's Aria aims to democratize AI access for low-end smartphone users in regions where digital tools are limited. The browser already includes features catering to local interests, such as live football scores and MiniPay, its built-in digital wallet.
With the introduction of Aria, Opera is positioning itself as the AI for everyone, empowering users to create school projects, seek information, and generate digital content—all without straining their data budgets. By embedding advanced AI tools directly into Opera Mini, the company is taking meaningful steps to enhance the digital experience for millions across the globe.
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