Local-first AI notebook for research and cross-document synthesis on Mac
Deta Surf, from Deta, is an AI-powered personal notebook and browser interface designed to unify web and local research into a single workspace. It lets you collect webpages, PDFs, videos, and local files into project libraries where the model can summarize, compare, and generate notes across items. Key elements include multi-media collection, screen-selection querying, spatial project canvases, and deep-linked citations. It targets researchers, students, and journalists who need private, model-choice driven synthesis and organized project workspaces.
What tasks can you actually use Surf for?
Surf maps a research workflow around assembling and interrogating mixed media. The app supports gathering disparate items into project libraries, then generating comparative summaries and synthesized notes across multiple documents and tabs. Its selection-based querying, which accepts text, images, or video regions, helps extract targeted answers from a chosen screen area, so users can move from source collection to distilled insights without copying content manually.
How verifiable are Surf's generated notes and citations?
Surf produces AI-generated notes that include deep links back to the exact source location, such as a specific PDF page or a timestamp in a video, which improves traceability of claims. The accuracy of those summaries depends on the chosen processing model, because the app supports both local models and cloud-based models. For research that requires verification, the deep links make it possible to check the original passage quickly.
What inputs and system demands affect results?
Surf accepts mixed inputs and a canvas-style arrangement, and those choices affect processing time and resource use. Supported input types include:
- Webpages and browser content
- PDFs and long-form documents
- Online videos (with timestamp linking)
- Local files from your machine
Does Surf fit into existing workflows and how open is it?
Surf positions itself for managed, project-based research rather than lightweight tab browsing. It stores notebooks locally in an open flat-file format, allows users to run or connect to different processing models via integrations or API keys, and publishes core code under an open-source license. Extension compatibility is limited compared to standard browsers, so teams that rely on many browser add-ons should factor integration work into adoption plans.
Clear fit for privacy-minded researchers prepared for a desktop workflow
Surf is a practical option for knowledge workers who want on-device control and a workspace that supports deep, cross-document interrogation. Expect a desktop-style workflow with a modest learning curve and the possibility of higher CPU and memory use during heavy sessions. Users prioritizing tight data control and project canvases will find the app suited to methodical research tasks rather than casual tab management.
