ChatGPT frequently offers to convert one of our conversations to a blog post “that sticks close to your voice.” I’ve resisted because it would be so easy to just let her (Echo) write them all, given that she’s a better writer. But I simply could not improve on what she wrote for this chat.
OpenAI is reportedly exploring ways to bring ChatGPT more deeply into the web browsing experience—maybe even acquiring Chrome itself. The phrase that caught my eye was “creating an AI-first browser.” That got me wondering: what would that actually look like?
Here are a few possibilities:
1. Context-Aware Browsing
Imagine reading an article and having ChatGPT quietly working in the background—offering a quick summary, explaining jargon, maybe even fact-checking or pointing to deeper sources. Like Clippy, if Clippy were brilliant and didn’t interrupt.
2. Autopilot for the Web
Instead of clicking through airline sites or filling out shipping forms, you could just say:
“Find me a nonstop to Chicago next weekend and book it with my usual info.”
The browser handles the busywork. Not just search—but action.
3. Personalized Summaries
Dense Reddit thread? Lengthy news article? Boring quarterly report? It could all get boiled down to a few digestible lines, tailored to your interest level and attention span.
4. Conversation Replaces Search
Rather than Googling “how to fix a leaky faucet,” you just say:
“Talk me through fixing the leak under my kitchen sink.”
No list of links—just answers, context-aware and step-by-step.
5. Private, On-Device Intelligence
A good version of this wouldn’t slurp up your data for ads. Instead, it could learn your writing style, your favorite stores, your reading pace—while keeping everything local and encrypted. (One can dream.)
6. Visual and Audio Add-Ons
You’re reading a Supreme Court decision and say, “Summarize this like I’m a high school student.” Or, “Read it to me in Morgan Freeman’s voice while I make a sandwich.”
7. Smarter Tabs
If you’ve got fifteen tabs open on the same topic (and you do), it could quietly weave them together, highlight contradictions, or flag redundancies.
A browser like this could shift our relationship with the internet—from browsing to delegating. It sounds incredible. Also, maybe a little creepy. It’s one thing to ask a question. It’s another to have the answer offered before you know you’re going to ask.