San Francisco: OpenAI’s upcoming AI web browser is set to launch within weeks, marking a bold move to compete directly with Alphabet’s Google Chrome
The new browser is expected to use artificial intelligence to transform the browsing experience, potentially changing how millions interact with online content daily.
If OpenAI’s browser attracts even a fraction of ChatGPT’s 500 million weekly active users, it could threaten a crucial pillar of Google’s advertising business.
Chrome currently holds over two-thirds of the global browser market, providing Google with rich user data that fuels targeted advertising, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of Alphabet’s total revenue.
Sources say the OpenAI browser will feature an interface similar to ChatGPT, keeping some user interactions within its native chat window rather than sending them out to other websites. The tool is part of OpenAI’s broader goal to embed its AI agents and services deeper into users’ personal and professional lives.
Building its own browser also gives OpenAI more control over the user data it collects, a key reason the company chose to develop a full browser instead of a simple plug-in for existing browsers. OpenAI’s browser is built on Chromium, the same open-source code that powers Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.
OpenAI has already hired two veteran Google executives who were part of the team behind Chrome’s original development. The company has also explored the idea of buying Chrome if antitrust regulators force Google to sell it, though Google has said it will appeal any ruling that orders such a sale.
The competition will not be easy. Google Chrome has more than 3 billion users worldwide, while Apple’s Safari is a distant second with 16 percent of the market. Other AI-focused browsers, such as Perplexity’s Comet, Brave, and The Browser Company’s Arc, are also pushing to reshape how AI interacts with daily web use.
A unique feature of OpenAI’s browser will be the integration of AI ‘agents’ that can handle tasks like booking tickets or filling out forms directly within websites, saving users time and effort.
By launching its own browser, OpenAI is betting that direct control over how people search, browse, and complete tasks online will give it an edge in the race for the future of AI-powered web experiences.
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