"Launch of 'ChatGPT Browser' - A Game-Changer Set to Revolutionize Search and Advertising"

Introduction: When the "Question" Changes, So Does the Browser

"Why are we still bound to the act of 'clicking links'?" The AI-native browser that OpenAI is set to launch soon is an implementation response to this fundamental question. By integrating ChatGPT's conversational UI and the autonomous agent "Operator" into over 5 million lines of Chromium-based code, it can perform a series of tasks such as searching, summarizing, form-filling, booking, and payment without page transitions. Behind this is a highly strategic aim to reclaim behavioral data directly obtained from an estimated 500 million weekly active ChatGPT users from Google.

Overview of the Announcement: Launch Approaching "Within Weeks"

According to an exclusive interview with Reuters, the official release is expected "within weeks." The internal codename is "Stargate," and the initial version will be simultaneously deployed on macOS, Windows, and Linux, with plans to add iOS and Android by the end of the year. OpenAI withheld comments, but CEO Altman reportedly stated in a June internal town hall that "AI will transform browsing from an 'act' to a 'dialogue.'"

Core Features of the Browser: "Always-On Dialogue Layer" and "Operator"

What sets Stargate apart from traditional browsers is the dialogue panel that resides in the bottom right corner of the screen and the multimodal agents operating in the background. Users convey their objectives in natural language rather than URLs, and ChatGPT analyzes the DOM to perform operations in the shortest possible steps. It is designed to complete workflows such as automatic form filling, comparing multiple products on e-commerce sites→purchasing at the lowest price, and itinerary generation→ticket issuance in "one chat." This elevates the browser itself to a "super-extendable app launcher," moving away from a UX centered on link clicking.

Impact on Google: A Challenge to the $200 Billion Advertising Empire

Chrome holds 68% of the global browser market and serves as an "advertising gateway" directing about 35% of search queries to the Google engine. If OpenAI replaces this entry point with AI conversations, Google's targeting accuracy and ad inventory could simultaneously waver. The DOJ is already demanding the separation of "Chrome forced bundling" as an antitrust violation, and behind OpenAI's statement that it "could acquire Chrome" lies a blueprint to rapidly capture market share depending on judicial decisions.

Publishers' Outcry: "Click Loss" Could Worsen

Major media outlets are beginning to estimate a 20% reduction in link traffic due to summary displays by generative AI. If the new browser defaults to "full-text summary + collapsed source link display," the SEO/advertising model could suffer irreparable damage. In Europe, discussions on "news usage fees" based on DMA and GDPR are reigniting, with 14 companies, including ABC News Digital in the U.S., already preparing for collective bargaining.

End-User Experience: Case Studies in the Era of "Browser = Secretary"

• Travel Planning: User inputs "family trip to Sapporo within 50,000 yen during the September long weekend" → compares and books flights, hotels, and rental cars, automatically registers on Google Calendar.

• Medical Procedures: Operator fills out a 12-screen application form on an insurance site, captures necessary documents with a smartphone → OCR → uploads.

• Purchase Assistance: Searches for the lowest price of RTX 5090 across e-commerce platforms, presents the actual cost including installment fees, and completes payment with one click.
  All of these are completed with zero link transitions, allowing users to simply "supervise the results." This marks the evolution from "generative AI → operational AI."

Developer and Enterprise IT Perspective: Extension Mechanisms and Security

Extensions are compatible with Manifest V4, but an OpenAI SDK is added, allowing LLM calls, cookie control, and GUI insertion via a simple API. A Rust-based sandbox ensures memory safety, and for enterprises, a "Zero-Trust Layer" combining on-premise LLM inference with ORY Keto-compliant RBAC is provided. This could lead to a "centralized security" return from SaaS to browsers.

Competitor Trends: The Dawn of "Browser Wars 2.0"

Perplexity has preemptively launched "Comet," and Edge/Brave have already implemented AI tab summaries. Companies like Browser Company's Arc, Alibaba's Xing, and Baidu's Kuiper are also rushing to enhance their AI layers. It is widely believed that within three years, the de facto standard of "Chromium core + AI UI" will be established, and differentiation will shift tounique agents × vertical infrastructure.

Regulatory Environment: The Tug-of-War with EU DMA and U.S. Antitrust Litigation

The EU views "bundling of search, ads, and browser" with Chrome as problematic, with DMA fines reaching up to 10% of sales. If the OpenAI browser builds a large-scale data pipeline outside Google's ecosystem, antitrust logic could change dramatically. Meanwhile, OpenAI itself is embroiled in legal battles with publishers over "AI scraping," and entering the browser business involves tectonic shifts in litigation risk.

Social Media Reactions: Excitement, Skepticism, and Caution

X (formerly Twitter)

"Finally, #ChatGPTBrowser is here. Can't wait to be freed from the link hell!" 
"Considering the cost of migrating 2,000 bookmarks from Chrome, no one will switch."

Reddit

• In r/stocks, a thread titled "Impact on Google stock?" is rapidly rising. In the comments, opinions are divided between "proof of search monopoly" and "evidence of competition, so the DOJ will ease up."

• In r/AI_Agents, a post titled "AI Browser War is coming" received 20,000 upvotes. The analysis that "browsers are shifting from passive tools to active agents" resonated with many.

• In r/browsers, conservative users dismissively stated, "Gnomes don't even use Edge, Chrome is immortal," garnering 3,000 likes.

Impact on Infrastructure: "Power Struggle" and CO₂ Issues

The spread of AI browsers implies a surge in inference requests, with North American data center power demand predicted to increase by 2.3 GW by 2028. Reports suggest CoreWeave is considering acquiring a power contract company for $9 billion, raising concerns that rising power costs may be passed on to households. The competition among tech giants to acquire "gigantic sites" is said to be straining regional power grids.

Future Roadmap: From Beta to Official Release

• 2025 Q3: Public beta begins, English UI/PC only.

• 2025 Q4: Multilingual support (including Japanese), mobile version release, third-party AI store launch.

• 2026 Q1: Official version 1.0, LLM local cache mechanism, PWA compatibility layer implementation.
  OpenAI has stated it will "not engage in the advertising business," but revenue-sharing models with partner publishers and B2B SaaS subscriptions are considered likely.

Unresolved Issues: Privacy, Copyright, Energy

1. Privacy: Deep access to browsing history is essential for task automation, raising questions about alignment with GDPR's "use beyond purpose" clause.

2. Copyright: The full-text summary UI risks exceeding the "scope of citation." Licensing negotiations with publishers are key.

3. Energy: Without improvements in inference power efficiency (AI chips/quantum tunnel-type DRAM), there will be conflicts with decarbonization goals.

Conclusion: The Power Struggle Over a "Post-Link" World

The browser wars of the 1990s were primarily about "browsing speed" and "rendering standards." The second act beginning in 2025 will be a battle over thecore of human behavior, "question generation" and "action automation." If Stargate succeeds, the web will be reconstructed not in terms of URLs and hyperlinks but throughdialogue and intent. However, the massive ecosystem of publishing, advertising, and SEO that thrives on the link economy will not remain silent. Over the next 18 months, we will witness the stirrings of an "AI-native internet."