Abhijith has been writing for the Web since 2011 and has contributed to sites like Beebom and TechWiser. He is curious about making the best of tech accessible to everyone.
He started writing as a hobby after getting a computer at 16. Since then, he has found technical writing a space where he belongs and could make a difference. A curious and self-motivated person, Abhijith's writings focus on productivity, Android, and the Internet.
He holds a Master's degree in English and a PhD in Humanities. Enthusiastic about language, literature, and culture, he works as an Assistant Professor of English.
If not writing or reading, you can find Abhijith playing Chess or CODM.
Lately, not integrating AI into your regular workflow has felt like a letdown, considering how the right AI assistant can help you out with almost everything in your digital life, from research to productivity, from fact-checking to writing.
I understand there are multiple options, such as fully-fledged AI browsers and browsers that come with a sidebar-based AI assistant. I have tried several AI extensions in the past as well. While some of them looked promising, they often failed to deliver on fronts that mattered.
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Posts 8 By Abhijith N Arjunan The AI extensions I've tried before were half-baked or overkill Turns out "AI-powered" mostly meant "GPT-4, take it or leave it"
I have to admit that I have come across some excellent AI extensions. Most of them, however, merely add a sidebar to your browser and let you chat with an AI chatbot. When you need them to understand the page context and integrate with your workflow, you end up deeply disappointed.
I have also noticed major limitations with these extensions, especially regarding control over the model they use. In most cases, it's a model like GPT-4, and you just have to bear with it. It also means that the speed and performance that you get with this AI assistance depend on what the developers dictate.
It is also impossible to ignore the intermediary in this process. When you interact using this app, you are essentially running all your data through the proxy, which is the developer, and they might end up charging you a hefty monthly fee compared to, say, using an API key. So, it's not like you are trading privacy for affordability.
Then I came across SurfMind, and the pitch alone made me pause A browser extension that doesn't tell you which AI to trust -- that's new
I came across SurfMind as a productivity tool recommendation on a Reddit thread, and the pitch instantly impressed me! A free browser extension that doesn't really limit me to a predetermined AI model? That sounded brand-new after trying several AI-powered browsers and sidebar-based extensions.
SurfMind claims to be an AI assistant for every website you visit, and the extension is available for most Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome, Edge, Arc, Brave, Opera, and Safari. Instead of integrating a single AI model into the system, SurfMind lets you bring your own model and set it up using an API key.
Being privacy-first is great, but you need actual features to offer a productive AI assistant experience. Apparently, SurfMind is built with those things in mind as well. I have had such a smooth experience that I have been using this AI extension for almost everything.
Setting it up took a few minutes, which made me more suspicious, not less I didn't even have to create an account
Normally, setting up an AI extension involves several steps. You need to install the extension, create an account, provide many permissions, and agree to a privacy policy that you don't really read. With SurfMind, the process was suspiciously simple, to the point that I questioned it further. Here's what mattered, though.
I installed the SurfMind extension from the Chrome Web Store, and it was ready to be pinned to the tab in a few seconds. When you first set it up, you can either create an account with SurfMind or ignore that altogether. If you go for the latter option, you can set up the AI extension using your API key. Surprisingly, I didn't even see an upsell pop-up when I chose the API option.
Not all SurfMind features may be available with every model, though. For instance, if you want to use visual content as input, you must select an AI model that supports vision.
You can now select the model you want from the available options and paste the API key. And trust me, SurfMind supports quite a few options. So, if you want to test how this works before investing in API keys, you can get a Gemini API key from Google for free. I also love that SurfMind shows the potential cost difference between models, making it easy for me to pick the right one.
After this, you can start using the SurfMind extension in your browser.
SurfMind understands context and acts better than most AI extensions I've tried I also get to choose the right model for the right tasks
I love AI-based productivity tools that integrate context so well. This is a feature I have missed on many extensions/browsers I have tried before. But SurfMind does this really well while also letting you access it like a sidebar-based AI chatbot. Here are a few ways it benefits my workflow.
Let's say I need to reply to an email or fact-check a claim on a web page. I don't really have to open the chatbot. Instead, I can use the SurfMind button that shows up when I select a piece of text. This Quick Chat section lets me choose one of the (customizable) Quick Prompts or create a new prompt. Depending on the model, you get a response rather quickly and can copy or insert it. The Continue Chat button brings everything to the sidebar interface when you want to explore further.
The sidebar interface is equally, if not more, powerful. This is where you can create complex prompts based on data from a web page or other inputs, such as files or images. It also lets you integrate some other options, such as search and thinking modes, depending on the model that you have selected. It also helps that I can quickly adjust the model to meet specific needs.
You may also want to try something called Multi-Page Research Chat. For instance, you may be looking at several products on Amazon and be confused about which to buy. You can stack all these tabs together and ask SurfMind to help you find the best option or check other sites for price differences.
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Throughout this process, SurfMind remains customizable, which is no small thing. That I can customize almost all parts of the UI is something I couldn't even begin to say about other AI extensions I've tried before.
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Posts 1 By Jayric Maning The "bring your own model" part matters more than it sounds Your API key, your bill, your data -- that's a different relationship entirely
As I have mentioned earlier, SurfMind lets you bring your own model for the assistant. If you are used to companies taking your payment info and charging a hefty monthly fee, it may sound a little convenient, especially the API key setup. However, here's why it means more:
Your data doesn't go through SurfMind's servers at any point. Instead, everything, including the API key you enter, stays on the browser. This option is great when you don't want to share sensitive info with third-party servers. The API structure also means you end up paying way less compared to a fully-fledged subscription. This extension, in particular, lets you change models based on the prompt you have, and you can choose a speed and performance that suits your needs. If you don't want your data to leave your device in the first place, you can also set up a custom AI model using tools like LM Studio or Ollama.
In short, what I've seen with this AI extension is a level of freedom that matters more than you think these days.
A few things I wish worked differently, from someone who isn't switching back
While the overall experience with SurfMind has been great, there are a few areas for improvement. You may have noticed that the AI extension doesn't interact with your web page, so agentic tasks for browsers are still unavailable. I also faced some limitations when dealing with images and other attachments, as SurfMind currently supports up to three files and a maximum size of 10MB.
Yet you can see that these options aren't deal-breakers, especially for a free browser extension! On the contrary, I appreciate the AI assistant's simplicity, which focuses on context-aware assistance.
SurfMind OS Chrome, Edge, Opera, Brave, Safari Individual pricing Free Developer(s) SurfMind
SurfMind is a free AI extension that lets you chat with all websites by bringing your own AI model via API keys
See at SurfMind Expand Collapse
