OpenAI to Launch AI-Powered Web Browser to Rival Google Chrome

OpenAI is preparing to launch an artificial intelligence-powered web browser in the coming weeks, aiming to challenge Google Chrome’s dominance in the global browser market, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The browser is designed to integrate AI features directly into the browsing experience, potentially transforming how users interact with the internet. It will include a ChatGPT-like interface that allows users to complete tasks without navigating away from the browser.

If adopted by ChatGPT’s 500 million weekly active users, the browser could threaten a key part of Google’s advertising business. Chrome plays a critical role in Alphabet’s ad revenue, which accounts for nearly 75% of the company’s income.

By keeping user interactions within its own ecosystem, OpenAI could gain direct access to valuable user data, a cornerstone of Google’s ad-targeting strategy.

The browser is part of OpenAI’s broader plan to embed its services into both personal and professional aspects of users’ lives.

The new browser will be built on Chromium, Google’s open-source browser code, which also powers Microsoft Edge and Opera.

OpenAI has already hired two former Google vice presidents who were part of the original Chrome development team.

The company previously considered acquiring Chrome if antitrust regulators forced Google to sell it. An OpenAI executive testified in April that the company would be interested in such a purchase.

Instead, OpenAI opted to build its own browser to gain more control over user data, one source said.

The browser will also support AI agents, such as OpenAI’s Operator, which can perform tasks like booking reservations or filling out forms directly within websites.

OpenAI’s move comes amid growing competition in the AI browser space. Perplexity recently launched Comet, an AI browser capable of acting on users’ behalf. Other startups, including The Browser Company and Brave, have also released AI-powered browsers.

Google Chrome currently holds more than two-thirds of the global browser market, with over 3 billion users, according to StatCounter. Apple’s Safari follows with a 16% share.

In May, OpenAI announced a USD 6.5 billion acquisition of io, an AI device startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, marking its entry into the hardware space.

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• OpenAI to launch AI-powered browser in coming weeks

• Browser aims to rival Google Chrome and integrate ChatGPT features

• Built on Chromium and supports AI agents for task automation

Source: REUTERS