OpenAI wants to do more than answer questions with ChatGPT. The company is developing a browser that can look at open tabs and help users get things done online. The feature aims to simplify routine browsing, letting ChatGPT cross-reference information between websites, summarize content, and do repetitive tasks without users having to keep switching between tabs.
The update is a sign of a wider change in how people use AI assistants. ChatGPT can do more than tell you how to do something – it can increasingly help you do it. It could save people hours spent researching products, managing information or filling out online forms. But browser access also brings up important questions around privacy and how much control users should give up to an AI.
ChatGPT can do browser tasks and compare websites.
ChatGPT’s browser feature lets it reference information in open tabs to answer questions and do comparisons. For example, users can ask it to compare products on shopping websites, summarize multiple articles, or look at different subscription plans without having to copy details from each page.
Work mode goes even further, allowing ChatGPT to interact with websites and do some actions. Depending on the task and the supported setup, it can help fill forms, gather information from multiple pages, organize browser tabs, and put together findings into a comparison document.
That would be handy for anything from planning a purchase to doing research for work. Instead of going to each website, pulling the information they want, and organizing it themselves, users can hand off parts of that process to ChatGPT.
To use it, you need the supported ChatGPT desktop app and the browser integration with the correct setting enabled. Access depends on the app and account setup, so please check the feature’s availability and follow OpenAI’s setup instructions.
Privacy and security issues arise with ease of use.
It can be helpful to have an AI look at what is on your browser, but it does require users to be conscious of what they are putting up on their screens. Open tabs can have private emails, work documents, personal details, or financial information. You should not needlessly expose sensitive pages and should review actions before letting an AI do anything important.
There is also a security risk from malicious web pages that contain hidden or misleading instructions designed to influence an AI agent. These kinds of attacks, sometimes called prompt injection, can attempt to make an AI do something other than what the user initially requested.
For now, the safest approach is to start with low-risk tasks, such as summarizing public articles or comparing products, and checking the results before acting on them. Users should be especially wary of purchases, messages, downloads, and account changes.
While the browser integration could make for a more practical assistant for everyday work, its usefulness will depend on reliability, user control and safeguards. As these tools evolve, the balance between convenience and privacy will remain crucial in deciding whether people trust AI to manage more of their online lives.