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Lloyd Kelly Miralles chevron_right
OpenAI is gearing up to release its own web browser within weeks, a move that would pit the ChatGPT creator directly against Google Chrome’s long-standing dominance. Built on Chromium, the open-source codebase behind Chrome and Microsoft Edge, the new browser will weave conversational AI into virtually every interaction, shifting users from point-and-click navigation to plain-language requests.
According to people familiar with the project, the interface centers on a ChatGPT-style prompt that can pull up sites, surface answers, or complete tasks without manual input. Deep integration with OpenAI’s “Operator” agents means the browser can autofill forms, book reservations, or handle online checkouts on a user’s behalf.
OpenAI’s motivation goes beyond convenience: by owning the browser itself, the company gains direct visibility into user behavior that today flows through Google’s ecosystem. That data could sharpen its models and threaten the ad-funded engine that underpins Google’s $300-billion-a-year business.
The competitive stakes are high. Chrome commands more than two-thirds of the global market and serves over 3 billion users, while Apple’s Safari trails at roughly 16 percent. Winning even a sliver of that audience could rapidly expand ChatGPT’s estimated 500 million weekly active users.
OpenAI is not alone in re-imagining the browser: startups such as Perplexity (Comet), The Browser Company (Arc), and Brave have all rolled out AI-assisted experiences this year. Yet none have the model firepower—or the consumer mindshare—that OpenAI wields.
Early reports suggest privacy controls will ship alongside the novel interface, acknowledging concerns about letting AI sift through personal browsing histories. Still, insiders say the company sees tight coupling of data and models as essential to delivering “agentic” features that feel truly autonomous.
With an official reveal rumored before the end of July, the AI arms race is headed straight for the browser’s address bar—and Google’s moat may be about to spring a leak.
source: yugatech