OpenAI Set to Disrupt Browser Market with AI-Powered Offering
The browser is built atop Chromium, the open-source foundation behind Chrome, Edge and Opera, ensuring compatibility with current web standards. More significantly, embedding ChatGPT natively allows users to interact through natural language rather than searching and clicking. OpenAI's Operator AI agent will autonomously complete web-based tasks—such as booking reservations, filling out forms or completing orders—on behalf of users.
This initiative is part of OpenAI's broader strategy to gain deeper access to user browsing behaviour and data. Google's dominance via Chrome has long served as a rich mine for ad targeting; OpenAI seeks comparable insights by controlling the data pipeline from its own browser. Industry analysts warn, however, that this raises privacy concerns—mirroring criticisms levelled at Chrome itself.
ADVERTISEMENT
OpenAI's move into the browser space follows its acquisition of hardware startup io, led by former Apple designer Jony Ive, and signals an ambition to build an ecosystem across software, AI agents and devices. The company has also hired Google-alumni engineers behind Chrome's original development, underscoring the seriousness of its challenge.
Competition is already intensifying. AI-centric browsers like Perplexity's Comet, Brave, and The Browser Company's Dia have emerged in recent months—all built on Chromium and offering similar capabilities. The rise of these products reflects a trend toward 'agentic' browsing experiences, where browsers act as intelligent intermediaries and perform tasks autonomously.
Should even a fraction of ChatGPT's 500 million weekly users adopt OpenAI's browser, Alphabet's ad-reliant Chrome business could face significant pressure. Chrome holds over two-thirds of global browser market share—roughly three billion users—while Safari trails at around 16 %. With the U. S. Department of Justice already urging Chrome's divestiture amid antitrust proceedings, OpenAI's entry adds further complexity.
Internally, this push aligns with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's vision for embedding AI throughout daily life. Launching the browser gives the company a platform to integrate its services, including deep research tools and agentic capabilities. Indeed, the browser's release follows the launch of Operator in January, now available in limited preview.
Privacy advocates caution that capturing browsing data through a proprietary AI browser could pose risks. OpenAI emphasises safety and data protections in its materials, and Agent workloads run within controlled environments. The firm has also signalled openness to purchasing Chrome outright if required by antitrust enforcement—though Google has not indicated any intention to sell.
Perceptions in tech communities are mixed. Some Redditors argue it may be unwise for OpenAI to challenge Google directly, while others see the opportunity to reshape search and browsing as an advantage. One user commented, 'I don't think launching a browser is a bad move… there will be room in this market for more big players'.
As OpenAI readies its release, key uncertainties remain: how it will address data privacy, whether its user interface will attract mass adoption, and how Google will respond. With launch imminent, the browser could well catalyse a new phase in the evolution of web interaction—one powered by conversational AI and autonomous agents.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
29 minutes ago
- Gulf Today
China's trade surplus grew to $114.7 billion last month
China's exports regained momentum in June as firms rushed out orders to capitalise on a fragile tariff truce between Beijing and Washington ahead of a looming deadline next month, with shipments to Southeast Asian transit hubs particularly strong. Businesses on both sides of the Pacific are waiting to see whether the world's two largest economies can agree on a more durable deal or if global supply chains will again be upended by the reimposition of duties exceeding 100%. Chinese producers, facing weak demand at home and harsher conditions in the United States, where they sell more than $400 billion worth of goods annually, are also hedging their bets and racing to grab market share in economies closer to home. Customs data on Monday showed outbound shipments from China rose 5.8% year-on-year in June, beating a forecast 5.0% increase in a Reuters poll and May's 4.8% growth. 'There are some signs that frontloading demand is beginning to wane gradually,' said Chim Lee, senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit. 'While frontloading ahead of the August tariff pause deadline is likely to continue, freight rates for China-bound shipments to the US have started to decline.' 'Trade diversion and rerouting appear to be continuing, which will attract the attention of policymakers in the US and other markets,' he added. Imports rebounded 1.1%, following a 3.4% decline in May. Economists had predicted a 1.3% rise. The upbeat set of data helped lift market sentiment with the blue-chip CSI300 up 0.2% at the midday trading break, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.4%, nearing its highest level since October. Analysts and exporters are watching to see whether a deal agreed in June between US and Chinese negotiators will hold, after an earlier agreement reached in May was strained by a series of export controls that disrupted global supply chains for key industries. Exports to the US grew 32.4% month-on-month, with June the first full month of Chinese goods benefitting from reduced US tariffs, although year-on-year growth remained negative. Meanwhile, outbound shipments to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations jumped 16.8%. China's June trade surplus came in at $114.7 billion, up from $103.22 billion in May. China's rare earths exports rose 32% in June from the month before, the customs data showed, in a sign that agreements struck last month to free up the flow of the metals were possibly bearing fruit. But Chinese negotiators will struggle to talk the US into bringing tariffs down to levels that enable producers to turn a profit, analysts say, warning additional duties that exceed 35% will wipe out margins. 'Tariffs are likely to remain high and Chinese manufacturers face growing constraints on their ability to rapidly expand global market share by slashing prices,' said Zichun Huang, China economist at Capital Economics. 'We therefore expect export growth to slow over the coming quarters, weighing on economic growth,' she added. Beijing faces an August 12 deadline to reach a durable deal with the White House. In the meantime, Trump continues to broaden his global trade offensive with new tariffs on other partners. Analysts warn those measures could indirectly hurt Beijing by pressuring third countries used heavily for transshipments of Chinese goods. Trump recently unveiled a 40% tariff on US-bound transshipments through Vietnam, a move that could undermine Chinese manufacturers looking to reroute shipments and avoid higher duties. The US president has also threatened a 10% charge on imports from BRICS countries, in which China is a founding member, raising further risks for Beijing. Backing its fellow BRICS member, China's soybean imports in June hit a same-month record high, buoyed by a surge in purchases from top supplier Brazil to 9.73 million tonnes, which Trump has slapped with 50% tariffs. Imports of US soybeans, meanwhile, were just 724,000 tonnes. China's crude oil imports rebounded last month and reached the highest daily rate since August 2023, after refineries from Saudi Arabia and Iran increased operations. Iron ore imports climbed 8% from May. Meanwhile Chinese banks extended 2.24 trillion yuan ($312 billion) in new loans in June, more than triple May's total, and beating analysts' forecasts, helped by stimulus measures and a trade truce with the United States. Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted new yuan loans would reach 1.8 trillion yuan in June after 620 billion yuan in May. In the event, it also surpassed last June's 2.13 trillion yuan. Reuters
TECHx
2 hours ago
- TECHx
Bitcoin Hits $120,000 as U.S. Debates Crypto Bills
Home » Latest news » Bitcoin Hits $120,000 as U.S. Debates Crypto Bills Bitcoin crossed the $120,000 level for the first time on Monday. The new high marked a significant point for the world's largest cryptocurrency. The increase came as investors responded to expected policy changes in the digital asset space. On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives began debating a set of bills. These bills aim to establish a regulatory framework for the digital asset industry. The industry has long requested clear rules to guide operations in the U.S. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently voiced support for the sector. He has called himself the 'crypto president.' He also urged policymakers to update regulations in favor of the industry. His stance has drawn attention from investors and lawmakers alike. Bitcoin rose to a record high of $121,207.55 during the Asian session. It later traded 1.5% higher at $120,856.34. The cryptocurrency is now up 29% for the year. The following developments were reported: Investors are betting on long-awaited regulatory clarity. Crypto-related policy discussions in Washington are gaining momentum. Bitcoin's rise has sparked gains across the broader cryptocurrency market. Ether, the second-largest token, reached a five-month high. It hit $3,048.23 on Monday before trading at $3,036.24. The total market capitalization of the sector reached around $3.78 trillion. This figure is based on data from CoinMarketCap. Analysts noted that market momentum continues despite ongoing global trade uncertainty. Tariff-related developments under Trump's platform have not slowed investor interest in crypto. The Bitcoin $120,000 milestone comes at a time of growing alignment between crypto industry goals and U.S. political priorities. Observers will closely monitor how the upcoming policy decisions affect the market. Source: Reuters
Al Etihad
3 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Empowering youth bedrock for sustainable giving in frontline: Frontline Heroes Office
By Maria Martinez BERLIN (Reuters) -German exporters have lost significant ground in global markets since 2021 due mainly to a broad-based deterioration in the country's competitiveness, the Bundesbank said on Monday. According to the Bundesbank's monthly report, more than three-quarters of Germany's export market share losses between 2021 and 2023 resulted from worsening supply-side conditions that left domestic exporters less competitive internationally. The report found that the decline was widespread across sectors and comparatively severe by international standards, signalling deep-rooted structural challenges for Europe's largest economy. Industries such as mechanical engineering, electrical equipment and energy-intensive sectors like chemicals were among the hardest hit, according to the report. The study also pointed to the impact of rising energy prices and persistent supply chain disruptions, which weighed heavily on German exporters during the 2021-to-2023 period covered by the report. The report called for urgent reforms to improve Germany's business climate, including measures to boost incentives to work, reduce barriers for skilled migrants, cut red tape and enhance tax breaks for private investment. The findings come after the German government unveiled a series of measures aimed at boosting investment and innovation, but analysts warn that more comprehensive reforms may be necessary to restore the country's competitive edge on the world stage. (Reporting by Maria Martinez and Klaus Lauer, editing by Rachel More)
