Cloud Browser

A cloud browser is an internet window that runs not on your own computer or phone, but on a faraway server. Think of it like this: instead of opening a website yourself, you borrow the computer sitting on some agent's desk somewhere, and that agent shows you the screen while clicking and typing for you. When an AI takes on that agent's role instead of a person, it can handle real web tasks on your behalf — logging in, filling out forms, pressing buttons.

But this runs into trouble on sites that require login. Handing your password over entirely to an agent feels uneasy. So cloud browsers have recently evolved to pause right at the login screen, letting the user type in their own ID and password at that moment. It's similar to how an agent can go to the bank counter on your behalf, but only you can step in yourself for the moment the stamp needs to be pressed.

Articles describe things like "ChatGPT Work's cloud browser can now handle tasks on sites that require login on your behalf." One common misunderstanding: a cloud browser isn't a browser extension installed on your own computer — it's a separate browser that runs entirely on the service provider's servers. That's why the task can keep going even if you turn off your own computer.

Try asking a service that supports cloud browsers something like:

"Log into this shopping site and check my recent order history."

When the login screen appears, follow the prompt to type in your own ID and password, then watch how things proceed — this will give you a feel for how a cloud browser works. For hard-to-reverse steps like payments or reservations, you'll be asked to confirm again, so review the details before proceeding.