OpenAI is likely to release an AI-powered web browser in the coming weeks to challenge Alphabet’s market-dominating Google Chrome, citing three people familiar with the developments. The browser is slated to launch in the coming weeks and aims to use artificial intelligence to fundamentally change how consumers browse the web.

If OpenAI’s browser is adopted by the 400 million weekly active users of ChatGPT, it would impact Google’s share of advertisement revenue. Chrome is a key pillar of Alphabet’s ad business, accounting for nearly three-quarters of its revenue. It provides user information to help Alphabet target ads more effectively and profitably. It also gives Google a way to route search traffic to its own engine by default.

Sources said that OpenAI’s browser is designed to keep some user interactions within a ChatGPT-like native chat interface instead of clicking through to websites.

Sam Altman-led OpenAI flipped the tech industry with the launch of its AI chatbot ChatGPT in late 2022. After its initial success, OpenAI has faced stiff competition from rivals like Google and startup Anthropic and is seeking new areas of growth.

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A web browser would allow OpenAI to directly integrate its AI agent products, such as Operator, into the browsing experience, enabling the browser to carry out tasks on behalf of the user.

The browser’s access to a user’s web activity would make it the ideal platform for AI “agents” that can take actions on their behalf, like booking reservations or filling out forms, directly within the websites they use.

Google Chrome is used by more than 3 billion people and currently holds more than two-thirds of the worldwide browser market, according to web analytics firm StatCounter. Apple’s Safari lags far behind with a 16% share.

OpenAI said last month that it has 3 million paying business users for ChatGPT.

Other AI startups like The Browser Company and Brave have announced AI-powered browsers capable of performing actions on a user’s behalf this year. Perplexity, a well-funded startup known for its search engine, also launched its AI browser, Comet, on Wednesday.

OpenAI's browser is built atop Chromium, Google's own open-source browser code, two of the sources said. Chromium is the source code for Google Chrome, as well as many competing browsers including Microsoft's Edge and Opera.

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Last year, OpenAI hired two longtime Google vice presidents who were part of the original team that developed Google Chrome. The Information was first to report their hires and that OpenAI previously considered building a browser.