How AI will change phones — and the whole internet

Arc Search, from The Browser Company, is one of the better mobile browsers we’ve tried. It also represents something of an existential threat to the internet, at least as we know it now. By searching the web for you and creating a bespoke webpage every time you ask a question and tap “Browse for me,” Arc — and other AI-focused search engines like Perplexity — could change everything from Google’s business model to the way our favorite blogs work.

On this episode of The Vergecast, we talk with Josh Miller, The Browser Company’s CEO, about all things browsers and AI. He makes the case that there’s a lot left to solve here, but the web is changing no matter what, and in many ways, it’ll change for the better. He’s definitely right that the mobile web has never been great, and we need a better way to use the internet on our phones.

Then we chat with Allison Johnson about — what else? — AI! Because AI is the story of the Samsung Galaxy S24 line, which Allison just reviewed. These are the most important Android phones of 2024, and they’re making big bets on the idea that AI can make it easier to use your phone and give you new abilities when you do. Live translation on a phone call! Magical photo editing! Slow-mo all the things!

Finally, on The Vergecast hotline (+1 866-VERGE11 or email [email protected]), we try to figure out whether you should start shooting spatial video, even if you have no intention of buying a Vision Pro.

If you want some further reading on all the things we discuss on this episode, here are a few good places to start, first on Arc:

And on the Vision Pro and spatial video:

Thoughts, questions, feelings, S Pen uses you want everyone to know about? Tell us in the comments!