OpenAI expected to launch AI-powered browser in challenge to Google Chrome

New Delhi: OpenAI is reportedly preparing to launch its own artificial intelligence-powered web browser in the coming weeks, according to a Reuters report. The browser is expected to offer an alternative to Alphabet’s widely used Google Chrome and could mark a significant move by OpenAI to expand its influence in consumer internet usage.

According to a report, individuals with knowledge of the development, the browser will incorporate features similar to ChatGPT’s conversational interface, shifting some user activity away from traditional web navigation. Rather than clicking through to websites, users may interact directly through a native AI chat experience. The browser could incorporate OpenAI’s AI agent tools, including Operator, into the user interface—enabling task execution within the browsing experience.

If adopted widely, particularly by ChatGPT’s reported 500 million weekly active users—the new browser could challenge a major component of Google’s advertising ecosystem. Chrome plays a critical role in Alphabet’s business, helping gather user data for targeted advertising and routing search traffic to Google’s own engine by default. Advertising accounts for nearly three-quarters of Alphabet’s revenue.

The move reflects OpenAI’s broader effort to expand its offerings across both consumer and professional domains. It would also allow the company to integrate AI agent products, such as Operator, directly into the web experience and enable task execution on behalf of users.

The development follows OpenAI’s recent steps to diversify its operations. In May, the company announced its entry into hardware by acquiring the AI devices startup io, founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, for $6.5 billion.

OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, gained prominence after the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, a launch that significantly reshaped the artificial intelligence landscape. However, the company has since faced increasing competition from players like Google and Anthropic, pushing it to explore new avenues for user engagement and product integration.