OpenAI to launch AI-powered web browser to challenge Google Chrome dominance: Reuters

OpenAI is preparing to launch an AI-powered web browser in the coming weeks, according to a Reuters exclusive citing three people familiar with the matter. The browser aims to fundamentally change how users navigate the internet by integrating artificial intelligence at its core, potentially keeping more user activity within a ChatGPT-style interface rather than redirecting them to external websites.

If widely adopted, particularly by ChatGPT’s 500 million weekly active users, the browser could disrupt one of Google’s most valuable channels: Chrome. The Alphabet-owned browser helps drive traffic to Google Search and collects user data crucial to its advertising business, which accounts for nearly 75% of the company’s revenue.

Part of a larger ecosystem strategy

According to one source quoted by Reuters, the browser fits into OpenAI’s broader vision of embedding its AI across everyday use cases, both personal and professional. Instead of just being a chatbot, OpenAI wants its AI to become a more deeply integrated digital assistant.

This vision also includes hardware. In May, OpenAI acquired AI device startup io for $6.5 billion, a firm led by Apple’s former design chief Jony Ive. The deal signals OpenAI’s intent to build AI-native devices that align with its software ecosystem, further expanding its footprint beyond models and APIs.

The upcoming browser is expected to integrate OpenAI’s “Operator” agent, capable of performing actions such as booking tickets, filling forms, or navigating sites directly on the user’s behalf.

An uphill battle against Chrome

Despite its ambitions, OpenAI faces a tough competitor. Google Chrome controls over two-thirds of the global browser market, with more than 3 billion users. Safari is a distant second at 16%, according to StatCounter data cited by Reuters.

Other players are also eyeing this space. AI search engine Perplexity recently launched Comet, a premium browser with similar autonomous capabilities. Brave and The Browser Company have introduced their own AI-driven browsers as well.

OpenAI’s browser is being built on Chromium, the open-source engine that powers Chrome and Microsoft Edge. While OpenAI had previously considered acquiring Chrome if regulators forced a sale, Reuters reports it ultimately chose to build its own to gain more control over user data. Google, for its part, has denied any plans to sell and is appealing an antitrust ruling over its search monopoly.