OpenAI challenges Google: a link-less browser to unseat Chrome

This isn't just a logical evolution for OpenAI, it's a direct attack on one of Google's economic pillars. Today, Chrome provides much of the data that fuels ad tech, a business that accounts for nearly three-quarters of Alphabet's revenue . If even a fraction of ChatGPT's 400 million weekly users adopted OpenAI's browser, the information flow that underpins Mountain View's advertising machine would be affected.

The threat becomes even more evident when looking at market share: Chrome accounts for nearly two-thirds of global browsing, while Safari hovers around 16 percent. It's no coincidence that, precisely in this area, the U.S. Department of Justice is considering structural remedies, even considering the forced sale of Chrome , a scenario in which OpenAI has already said it's ready to make an offer . While waiting to see the outcome of the litigation, the startup has chosen the proprietary browser route to independently obtain browsing data and natively integrate its own language models.

From a user experience perspective, the most obvious change could be the replacement of the traditional address bar with a prompt field capable of interpreting natural language requests. Many tasks that currently require a series of clicks, such as finding a restaurant, filling out a form, or purchasing a ticket, could be delegated to the Operator agent, without ever leaving the chat window. OpenAI's goal is to transform navigation into a continuous conversation , where the user formulates goals and the AI ​​chooses the optimal route.

Such disintermediation promises speedy benefits, but raises questions about editorial sustainability: if responses come directly from chat, what happens to the traffic and advertising revenue of the sites visited? At the same time, security issues arise: allowing an automated agent to fill out forms or initiate payments will require robust human verification to prevent abuse.

OpenAI isn't starting from scratch. Other companies are already trying to reinvent the browser with artificial intelligence. Brave has introduced the Leo assistant, The Browser Company has introduced Dia, and Perplexity has just launched Comet. Yet none of these competitors can boast ChatGPT's huge user base or the ability to integrate cutting-edge proprietary models.

The game is being played on three fronts. The first is technological : leveraging the robust compatibility offered by Chromium without being held hostage by its update pace, still dictated by Google. The second is economic : convincing advertisers and developers that the ecosystem of extensions and conversational skills can generate new forms of monetization. The third, perhaps the most delicate, is regulatory : demonstrating to legislators that an AI browser won't become a new opaque data silo, but an opportunity to reduce current concentrations of power.

If OpenAI succeeds, the launch of its browser could mark the beginning of a new era: that of invisible navigation, where links give way to questions and web pages become the space for digital agents to act. Microsoft, which has achieved a desktop market share of around 13%, could also be affected, thanks in part to the inclusion of Copilot, the intelligent assistant based on technology provided by OpenAI.