By Emma Whitaker 
OpenAI is gearing up to take on Google’s Chrome with a new AI-powered web browser, sources say, aiming to shake up the market leader’s dominance. The move could spark a surge in demand for AI servers, analysts predict, as OpenAI dives into the fiercely competitive browser arena.
Slated for release in the coming weeks, the browser will leverage artificial intelligence to transform how users navigate the web, according to three people familiar with the project. By tapping into user data—a cornerstone of Google’s success—OpenAI hopes to carve out a slice of the market.
With ChatGPT boasting 400 million weekly active users, OpenAI’s browser could disrupt Google’s advertising empire, which relies heavily on Chrome. The browser drives nearly three-quarters of Alphabet’s revenue by fueling targeted ads and funneling traffic to Google’s search engine.
Two sources revealed that OpenAI’s browser is built on Google’s open-source Chromium code, the same foundation used by Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. But OpenAI is taking a unique approach, designing the browser to keep some users within a ChatGPT-like interface, reducing the need to jump between websites.
The browser is a key piece of OpenAI’s broader push to weave its AI services into everyday life. By integrating AI agents like Operator, the browser could handle tasks like booking reservations or filling out forms automatically, using insights from users’ web activity, sources said.
Still, OpenAI faces a steep climb. StatCounter data shows Chrome commands a two-thirds market share with over 3 billion users worldwide, dwarfing Apple’s Safari, which holds just 16%.
OpenAI isn’t alone in eyeing the browser market. On July 9, well-funded startup Perplexity launched its AI-driven browser, Comet, which also automates tasks for users. Meanwhile, OpenAI reported last month that ChatGPT has 3 million paying corporate users, signaling its growing clout.
Andreas Lundberg 
Dale Chaucer