OpenAI is getting ready to launch an AI-powered web browser—its boldest move yet in the fight to loosen Google Chrome's grip on the internet. The browser, built on Chromium, is expected to roll out in the coming weeks; it'll come with a chat interface and support for AI agents that can take actions like filling out forms or booking reservations directly on websites.
The idea is simple; instead of just browsing, users will delegate tasks to OpenAI's tools—keeping more of the experience inside a ChatGPT-like environment. That could be bad news for Google (GOOGL, Financials), whose ad business depends heavily on Chrome's control of user data and search routing.
Sources told Reuters the browser is part of OpenAI's bigger strategy: embedding AI into everyday life—first with ChatGPT, then with hardware like the io device, and now with a browser that could replace how we use the web itself.
If even a fraction of ChatGPT's 400 million weekly users make the switch, OpenAI could eat into Chrome's dominance; Google has more than 3 billion users on Chrome today—but nothing is locked in forever.
