AI assistants that use a browser or computer for you
Which AI assistants do tasks on websites in their own browser?
Updated · 3 assistants ranked
Five assistants in our catalog say they work through their own browser, computer or cloud machine: Joshu, Muse, OpenInstinct, Tab and The Shadow. Three of them took at least two of the three tests that need a real website (Online task, Travel booking, Purchasing), so three are ranked. Joshu and OpenInstinct have one score each on those tests and are not ranked.
Top picks
- 18.3
Online tasks 8Travel 7Purchasing 10Time to finish 8m 56s
- 27.0
Online tasks —Travel 6Purchasing 8
- 34.3
Online tasks 2Travel 6Purchasing 5
Top pick: highest average here. Best free option: highest among assistants you can use for free. Fastest that's still good: quickest median time to finish among those averaging 7 or more.
Full ranking
| # | Assistant | Online tasks | Travel | Purchasing | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muse | 8 | 7 | 10 | 8.3 |
| 2 | The Shadow | — | 6 | 8 | 7.0 |
| 3 | Tab | 2 | 6 | 5 | 4.3 |
How this report works
Included are assistants whose catalog description says they use a browser, computer, cloud VM or web tasks (checked 2026-10-26). They are ranked by the average of Online task, Travel booking and Purchasing, with at least two taken. Scores come from the published score sheet and are dated 2026-10-27. 1 of the 3 ranked assistants carry pre-filled scores, which are placeholder estimates the site has not yet replaced with its own test runs, so treat their places as provisional.
How to choose
- Ask where the browser runs. Muse uses a cloud VM, The Shadow a private browser and Tab its own computer and browser, according to their catalog entries.
- Check what it does with your logins and cards. Muse says it can delete VM files or reset; The Shadow lists data processing in the US, EU and Latin America.
- Treat a single high score cautiously: OpenInstinct has an Online task score of 10 but no other test on these three, so it cannot be ranked.
Which AI assistants can browse the web for me?
Five catalog entries describe working in their own browser or computer: Joshu, Muse, OpenInstinct, Tab and The Shadow. Three have enough test scores to be ranked.
What does browsing mean in the tests?
The tests need a real website: booking a restaurant table, booking flights and reordering an item from a receipt. An assistant that only returns a link does not pass.
What users say
The agent, which Meta launched on September 8, booked a Friday date night and made a packing schedule for my upcoming move. It also emailed a friend about a trip next month and made a planning document with places we want to visit.
Open sourceWhen I asked for a list of places to go for date night, it pulled up two options in my neighborhood that had been closed for years.
Open sourceFrequently asked questions
Which assistant is best for this?
Muse leads with an average of 8.3, ahead of The Shadow and Tab.
Is there a good free option?
Muse is the highest-ranked assistant with a free plan, averaging 8.3.
How did you test these assistants?
Every assistant got the same published tests, word for word, scored from three checkpoints and the number of corrections it needed. Each test is on the Dimensions page.