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November 22, 2024
OpenAI, known for its AI chatbot ChatGPT and the search engine SearchGPT, is apparently considering entering the highly competitive browser market. The company is said to have already held talks with potential customers and presented them with a browser with integrated chatbot and AI search. According to media reports, the companies that have already been able to assess the new product include the publisher Condé Nast, the ticket portal Eventbrite, and the online travel agency Priceline.
With its own browser, OpenAI would further intensify the competition with Google. The internet giant dominates the browser market with Chrome, while other browsers like Microsoft's Edge, Brave, or Opera are based on Google's Chromium technology. It remains to be seen whether OpenAI would also rely on Chromium or develop its own foundation – a challenge that even Microsoft has failed at. An immediate release of the browser does not seem to be planned at the moment.
Google's dominance in the browser market is increasingly being questioned. Investigations into possible antitrust violations are underway in both the US and the EU. The US Department of Justice is considering forcing Google to sell Chrome and Android. In the EU, the Commission is examining whether Google is complying with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is intended to ensure fair competition. The search engine alternative DuckDuckGo also recently accused Google of not complying with the DMA and called for further investigations.
In addition to the browser market, competition is also taking place in the field of AI search. OpenAI's SearchGPT and Perplexity AI are competing with Google Search. Google's own AI chatbot Gemini has not yet been able to attract the same attention as ChatGPT.
If OpenAI were to actually launch a browser with integrated chatbot and AI search, the company could face similar antitrust scrutiny as Google. Currently, however, OpenAI does not yet have comparable market power.
The developments surrounding OpenAI's browser plans show how dynamic the browser market currently is. AI functions, data privacy concerns, and antitrust disputes are shaping the future of the browser and will further fuel competition. It remains exciting to see how OpenAI will position itself in this environment.
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