OpenAI is gearing up to launch its own AI-driven web browser in the coming weeks, aiming to redefine how people interact with the internet and take direct aim at Google Chrome’s firm hold on the market. According to Reuters, this bold step marks OpenAI’s expansion from chatbots and AI assistants into the core tool billions rely on to navigate the web daily.

Unlike traditional browsers that mainly serve as a gateway to websites, OpenAI’s upcoming browser promises to weave artificial intelligence directly into the browsing experience. The goal is to transform passive scrolling and clicking into an interactive, conversational process. Users may soon be able to book tickets, summarise articles, fill out forms, or complete everyday tasks without ever leaving an AI chat window within the browser.

“Weaving AI into the fabric of the browser means your experience feels less like hopping across tabs and more like having an assistant right by your side,” a source close to the development shared.

The new browser will be built on Chromium — the same open-source foundation powering Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. This choice means users will be able to access the same websites and extensions they’re used to, easing the transition for those willing to give OpenAI’s alternative a shot. OpenAI has also recruited talent from Google’s original Chrome team, highlighting just how serious it is about competing head-on.

Beyond convenience, the move represents a significant data opportunity for OpenAI. For years, Chrome’s massive user base has been an invaluable source of behavioural data for Google, helping the tech giant refine its ad targeting and cement its search engine as the default for billions worldwide. With its own browser, OpenAI will have a direct window into how people navigate and interact online — information that could further train its AI systems and make them even more personalised.

The stakes are high. Google Chrome holds over two-thirds of the global browser market, with an estimated 3 billion users. It’s not just a tool for browsing — it’s a linchpin for Google’s advertising empire and search engine dominance. But OpenAI’s ChatGPT already boasts around 500 million weekly users. If just a fraction of these users switch to OpenAI’s browser, Google could find its browser stronghold under real pressure for the first time in years.

OpenAI’s ambitions don’t stop at browsers. The company recently acquired an AI hardware startup led by Jony Ive, Apple’s former design chief, underscoring its push to blend software and devices. A browser gives OpenAI yet another platform to embed its AI agents deeply into everyday routines, handling tasks and gathering insights to make interactions smarter over time.

The competition is heating up. AI-first browsers like Perplexity’s Comet and Brave’s enhanced AI tools are also vying to reimagine how people use the web. Whether OpenAI’s new browser will lure people away from Chrome remains to be seen, but its arrival will almost certainly shake up a market long dominated by a few tech giants.

With the launch just weeks away, the world is about to find out whether a more conversational, AI-powered browser can really change the way we surf the web.