OpenAI's New Web Browser: Coming Soon?
So, OpenAI might be launching its own web browser soon! I mean, it seems like everyone's doing it, right? The goal, as I understand it, is to weave their services more tightly into our daily lives.
Of course, this new browser will have a ChatGPT-style chatbot integrated. I guess OpenAI is hoping to snag more user data – just like Google does with Chrome. It's a pretty standard move, if you think about it.
It's also expected to boast "agentic AI features." Imagine AI tools that can actually book reservations for you! To do that effectively, having direct access to your browsing data could be a game-changer for OpenAI.
One interesting aspect is that the browser may be designed to keep you inside an AI chatbot interface instead of sending you directly to websites. Think about Google’s AI Overviews – it could potentially reduce traffic to the original sources that AI relies on, which is kind of a big deal for website owners.
However, OpenAI isn't the first to jump on this bandwagon. Perplexity already launched a browser with similar AI functions, and Opera introduced a "fully agentic" browser earlier this year. It is important to mention, tough, that Perplexity's browser, Comet, is exclusive to those paying a hefty $200 monthly subscription.
Now, while ChatGPT has a massive user base, OpenAI will have a tough time competing with Chrome, which has billions of users! Fun fact: OpenAI's browser is reportedly built on Chromium, the same open-source code that powers Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and others. Last year, there were hints that OpenAI might develop its own browser after hiring some ex-Google folks who helped create Chrome.
Google has been using Chrome data for ad targeting for ages. But here's a twist: the Department of Justice wanted Google to sell off Chrome! A judge even ruled that Google was a "monopolist" in the search world. OpenAI even expressed interest in buying Chrome if Google was forced to sell.
Source: Engadget