OpenAI has released a major update to the official ChatGPT extension for the Google Chrome browser, fundamentally changing how artificial intelligence interacts with a user's web content. The model is now capable of analyzing the contents of open tabs, gathering information from multiple sites simultaneously, and performing routine tasks directly on web pages — from filling out forms to uploading files. Essentially, Chrome is transforming into a "workspace" that the AI gains direct access to upon the user's request.
Access Mechanics: The @chrome Tag
A key element of the update is the ability to "invoke" the browser directly from the chat. Users can reference the contents of open tabs using the special @chrome tag in both the web version and the desktop ChatGPT application. This means the AI acquires context not only from manually entered text, but also from what the user is currently reading in the browser. The developers emphasize that in chat mode, the model can view open tabs and gather information, while in working mode, it can independently manage tabs: send messages, fill out forms, upload files, and organize tab groups.
Three Key Use Cases
Among the priority scenarios highlighted by the developers themselves, three areas stand out. First — analysis and comparison: the AI compares product specifications and prices or contractor proposals across different tabs and generates a summary report or draft email. Second — automated data entry: the model extracts information from work documents or briefs and transfers it into website registration forms. Third — tab organization: ordering and grouping a large number of open web pages, which is especially relevant for analysts, journalists, and managers working with dozens of sources simultaneously.
Sidebar and Enterprise Segment
The update also affects the browser's sidebar, where the full functionality of ChatGPT along with chat history is now available — users no longer need to switch between windows. The corporate version, ChatGPT Work, deserves special attention as it has received a direct tab "control" feature. This opens up opportunities for automating workflows within companies: from processing incoming requests to preparing reports based on data from multiple internal and external sources.
Context: Competition with Google Gemini
In terms of overall capabilities, the new ChatGPT extension resembles the "auto browse" feature in Google Gemini, where the AI is also able to independently send messages, fill out medical or registration questionnaires, upload files, and add scheduled visits to the user's personal or work calendar. Thus, a direct functional parity between the two largest tech corporations is forming in the browser AI assistant market, and the battle for the user is shifting toward execution quality and ecosystem integration.
Availability and Prospects
The updated extension is already available for download in the Chrome application store. Given the pace of development of agentic functions in AI assistants, experts expect that in the coming months, such capabilities will become standard for browser extensions, and competition between OpenAI, Google, and other players will accelerate the emergence of more complex scenarios for automating everyday digital tasks.
