OpenAI To Launch Web Browser To Compete With Google Chrome: Report

OpenAI is preparing to release an AI-powered web browser that aims to challenge the dominance of Google Chrome, according to sources cited by Reuters. The browser is expected to launch in the coming weeks.

If adopted by the 500 million weekly active users of ChatGPT, OpenAI's browser could significantly impact Google's ad revenue, Reuters said. Chrome is a crucial component of Alphabet's ad business, contributing nearly three-quarters of its revenue by providing user data that helps target ads more effectively and routing search traffic to Google's engine by default.

OpenAI's browser will keep some user interactions within a ChatGPT-like native chat interface, reducing the need to click through to websites, according to two of the sources cited by Reuters. This new approach could give OpenAI direct access to user data, a cornerstone of Google's success.

Under Sam Altman, OpenAI changed the the tech industry with the launch of its AI chatbot ChatGPT in late 2022. Following its initial success, OpenAI has faced strong competition from companies like Google and the startup Anthropic, prompting it to explore new growth opportunities.

In May, OpenAI announced its entry into the hardware sector by acquiring io, an AI devices startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, for $6.5 billion. According to sources cited by Reuters, a web browser would enable OpenAI to seamlessly integrate its AI agent products, such as Operator, into the browsing experience, allowing the browser to perform tasks on behalf of the user.