OpenAI updates ChatGPT Chrome extension to interact with open tabs

OpenAI has released a significant update to its ChatGPT extension for Google Chrome, enabling the AI assistant to read and interact with open browser tabs. This update allows the chatbot to use the content of active pages as context for user queries, eliminating the need for manual copying and pasting of text or links.

The new features include agentic capabilities where, with user permission, ChatGPT can perform multi-tab tasks such as filling out registration forms, moving data between tabs into spreadsheets, and grouping cluttered tabs. OpenAI demonstrated these capabilities through use cases like comparing product specifications across multiple shopping tabs or summarizing long articles.

Strategically, this move integrates OpenAI’s technology directly into Google’s dominant browser, competing with Google’s own Gemini integration. While this approach meets users where they already browse, it also makes OpenAI dependent on Google’s extension ecosystem and platform rules.