OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is getting ready to start selling an AI-powered web browser. It could be available in the next few weeks.
This move shows that OpenAI wants to do more than just make chatbots. It will let the company compete with Google Chrome.
But how will the browser look like and will it be any good? Here's what we know so far.
The new browser will change the way people use the internet by adding AI into the browsing experience. OpenAI's browser is different from traditional browsers. It will reportedly have a ChatGPT-like interface.
This means that many user interactions will be within the chat window. Users won't need to go to other websites.
This is a new way of browsing the web. AI is the middleman between users and the web content they want. The browser is built on Google's open-source Chromium engine, which is also used by Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and other major browsers.
The timing of OpenAI's browser launch is especially interesting because it comes at a time when the browser market is seeing new developments.
Earlier, the AI startup Perplexity launched its Comet browser for premium subscribers. Companies like The Browser Company and Brave have also announced AI-powered browsing solutions.
This comes just as Google faces potential regulatory challenges. The Department of Justice has demanded that Google sell its Chrome division. This is because a federal judge said that Google has too much control over online searches. Both OpenAI and Perplexity have said that they are interested in buying Chrome if it becomes available for sale.
One of the most important features of OpenAI's browser will be the integration of Operator, the company's technology that uses AI. This will allow the browser to perform tasks on its own for the user, including:
The short answer is yes. The browser is a smart move by OpenAI to get direct access to user browsing data, which is a valuable resource that's mostly controlled by Google.
Chrome has been very successful because it collects information about its users. This information helps Alphabet show users ads that are more relevant to them. This is how Alphabet makes most of its money.
If OpenAI controls its own browser, it will be able to see things like how users behave, what they search for, and what websites they visit. This data could be very useful for training future AI models and developing new ways to make money.
OpenAI has been working on a browser for over a year. In 2024, the company hired people from Google, including two vice presidents who helped create Chrome. These hires showed that OpenAI was serious about its browser project and brought in important experts.
The browser is part of OpenAI's plan to integrate its services into all parts of users' personal and professional digital lives.
OpenAI faces strong competition in the browser market. Google Chrome is used by more than 66% of the world's internet users and has over 3 billion users worldwide. Apple's Safari is in second place, used by 16% of internet users. In comparison, OpenAI is currently has 3 million paying business users for ChatGPT.
Not only is OpenAI competing against giants, but the AI browser space is becoming increasingly crowded:
This week, Perplexity's Comet launched for $200/month for subscribers. It features AI search integration. The Browser Company's Dia is an AI-native browser that focuses on intelligent automation, and brave has announced AI-powered features for privacy-focused browsing.
The launch of OpenAI's browser raises significant privacy considerations. Critics have already expressed concerns about OpenAI's data collection practices, and a browser would provide the company with even more extensive access to user information. This includes:
Privacy advocates worry that the incentive to collect user data for AI training and monetization could compromise user privacy, especially given the criticism both OpenAI and Google have faced regarding their data handling practices.
The browser launch is part of OpenAI's aggressive expansion beyond software. In May 2025, the company started making hardware by buying io, a company that makes AI devices started by Apple's former design chief Jony Ive, for $6.5 billion. This purchase, along with the browser launch, suggests that OpenAI is creating a complete system of AI products and services.
Sam Altman is the leader of OpenAI. OpenAI changed the tech industry with ChatGPT, which was released in late 2022. However, the company is now facing strong competition from other companies, including Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude. The browser is a new part of this competition. It lets OpenAI talk directly to users and see their data.
As OpenAI prepares to launch its browser in the coming weeks, the tech industry is watching closely. Whether or not this project is successful could have a big impact on the browser market and on how AI is used on the internet in general.
The browser will keep users within a ChatGPT-like interface. We won't know for sure if users will like this new way of browsing the web until we try it out.
But for now, it's clear that the competition between internet browsers is not over yet, and artificial intelligence will play an important role in the next part of it.
