AI sidebars and extensions

An AI sidebar is an extension that adds an assistant panel to the browser you already use. You open it next to any page to chat, summarize what you are reading, translate a passage or rewrite text you have selected. Writing tools such as Grammarly and QuillBot work a little differently: they sit inside text boxes and suggest edits as you type.

The convenience comes from permissions. To help on any site, these extensions usually ask to read and change data on all websites. That covers ordinary pages, and it also covers webmail, banking pages, company dashboards and anything else you open while you are signed in. Read the permission prompt at install time, and use your browser's site access settings to limit an extension to the sites where you actually want it.

Many sidebars give access to models from several AI companies under one subscription. That is handy, but it means your text passes through the extension maker's servers as well as the model provider's. Check the privacy policy for how long prompts are kept, whether they are used for training, and whether you can delete your history.

There is also a newer risk worth knowing about. A web page can contain hidden text written to steer an AI assistant, for example telling it to ignore your request or to send information somewhere. This is called prompt injection. Sidebars that only answer questions are lower risk than tools that act on the page, but it is still sensible to read summaries of unfamiliar pages with some care.

Featured AI browsing tools: ai sidebars and extensions

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7 AI browsing tools in ai sidebars and extensions

Monica

All-in-one AI extension with a sidebar for chat, page summaries, translation and writing help on any site.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Chrome extension
  • Mobile app

Merlin

by Foyer

Chrome extension that summarizes pages and videos and adds AI chat and writing help across the sites you use.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Chrome extension

HARPA AI

Chrome extension that combines AI chat with page automation: summarizing, monitoring pages for changes and running saved commands.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Chrome extension

Microsoft Copilot

by Microsoft

Microsoft's assistant, available on the web, in apps and in the Edge sidebar, where it can use the open page as context.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Mobile app

Gemini

by Google

Google's assistant on the web and in apps, increasingly reachable from inside Chrome for questions about the page.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Mobile app
  • Developer API

Grammarly

Writing assistant that runs in the browser on most text boxes, checking grammar and tone and offering AI rewrites.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Chrome extension
  • Mobile app

QuillBot

Paraphrasing and grammar tool with a browser extension that rewrites, checks and summarizes text on web pages.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Chrome extension

A good test before you commit: install the extension on a separate browser profile, use it for a week on ordinary reading, and see which features you actually reach for.

It also pays to keep the number of AI extensions small. Each one adds its own permissions, its own servers and its own account, and two sidebars that do the same job double the exposure for little gain. Pick one general assistant and one writing tool at most, remove anything you have not opened in a month, and check after browser updates that your site access settings are still the way you left them.

If you use a work computer, your IT team may already block or approve specific extensions. Ask before installing, because an approved tool usually comes with a data agreement that a personal install does not have.

Questions about ai sidebars and extensions

Why does an AI extension ask to read all my websites?

Because it needs the page content to summarize or answer questions about it, on whatever site you open. You can usually restrict it to specific sites or to on-click access in your browser's extension settings.

Is it safe to use an AI sidebar on my work email?

Check your employer's rules first. The extension can read whatever page it runs on, and the text it sends may pass through the extension maker's servers and an AI provider. Many teams allow only approved extensions.

What is prompt injection?

Text hidden in a web page that tries to give instructions to an AI assistant reading it. It can make a summary misleading or, for tools that act on pages, trigger unwanted actions. Treat summaries of unfamiliar pages with care.

Do I need a paid plan?

Most sidebars have a free tier with daily limits. Paid plans raise the limits and add stronger models. Try the free tier on your usual reading first and upgrade only if you hit the limits often.

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