The Browser company’s Arc, a browser focused on providing a clutter-free web experience, has introduced a new feature in its mobile app Arc Search that utilizes AI technology to summarize web pages. This innovative feature involves a unique “pinching” gesture that displays a neatly formatted summary with the main points of the page.
The feature has captured attention for introducing a fresh way to interact with AI. However, there are concerns that it may affect traffic to news publishers, like ourselves. Similar AI-powered summary features have been explored by other platforms such as Artifact, an app created by Instagram’s co-founders, and Google’s Search Generative Experience’s web page summarizing feature. What sets Arc’s pinch-to-summarize feature apart is its user-friendly experience and intuitive gesture design, which has sparked conversations on social media platforms like Threads and X due to its aesthetically pleasing transition animation.
If you have the latest version of Arc Search on iOS, you can now pinch on a page to view an AI-powered summary with key points.
The pinch gesture in the Arc Search app allows users to fold down a web page in an origami style to reveal a helpful summary, all while delivering a smooth transition effect and subtle haptic cues that enhance the user experience. However, during our testing, we found that the AI summaries sometimes miss important details. For example, when summarizing an older story, the summary failed to highlight the clarification we added about a misleading rumor regarding Gmail’s discontinuation.
In some instances, the summary feature did not work as expected, like when attempting to summarize a recipe page in Hindi. Users have also noted issues with the summary feature in languages other than English. While the AI-powered summaries were generally useful, there were occasions where critical information was overlooked. Thus, it is essential to independently verify the accuracy of the summaries to ensure all key points are captured.
Despite its useful functionalities, there are concerns regarding AI-powered features like Arc’s summary tool potentially impacting journalism and web content. The reliability of these tools is crucial for both publishers and news consumers to trust the information provided in the summaries. As AI continues to evolve, it is important for developers to consider how these features may influence user behavior on the web.
Overall, Arc is continually improving its AI-powered features, such as the recent addition of the “Browse for me” search and incognito mode in its mobile browser. While there may be room for improvement in the accuracy of the summaries, Arc’s commitment to enhancing user experience and providing valuable features is evident in its ongoing updates.
