OpenAI has announced an update to its ChatGPT Chrome extension that, according to the company, allows ChatGPT to view a user’s open browser tabs when Chrome is explicitly tagged in the ChatGPT web or desktop app. The change points to a broader shift in how generative AI tools interact with day-to-day business workflows inside the browser, where staff often manage research, marketing platforms, internal dashboards and SaaS applications.

What happened

According to OpenAI, the updated ChatGPT Chrome extension can use information from a user’s currently open tabs to help answer questions and complete tasks. The company demonstrated a consumer-style example in which ChatGPT compares products across several open tabs.

The announcement follows the end of OpenAI’s Atlas browser effort, with the company instead extending ChatGPT’s capabilities inside Google Chrome through its existing extension. Based on the available information, this is a product update announced by OpenAI rather than an independently verified review of how the feature performs in all business scenarios.

Why it matters for European businesses

For SMEs and digital teams, the browser is often where key work happens: comparing suppliers, reviewing analytics, checking ad platforms, reading contracts, managing e-commerce systems and working across cloud software. An AI assistant that can reference multiple tabs could reduce friction in research and summarisation tasks.

At the same time, browser tabs may contain commercially sensitive information, personal data, client records or internal business data. That makes this update relevant not only as a productivity feature but also as a governance and risk issue. If employees use tab-aware AI assistance while logged into business systems, companies may need to reassess what information staff can expose to external AI services through browser extensions.

For European organisations, this also connects to existing compliance and security responsibilities. The announcement does not by itself create new legal obligations, but businesses using such tools may need to review them under existing internal policies, contractual commitments, data protection practices and sector-specific requirements.

Who may be affected

• Marketing teams comparing campaign results, competitor pages, SEO data or ad platform dashboards across multiple tabs.
• E-commerce businesses reviewing product listings, pricing, suppliers and storefront performance in the browser.
• IT and security teams responsible for browser extension controls, SaaS access and data handling rules.
• Founders and operations teams using AI assistants for quick decision support across vendor, finance or planning tools.
• Regulated businesses where open tabs may include customer data, health, financial or other sensitive information.

What companies should consider

• Review browser extension policies. Check whether employees are allowed to install and use AI browser extensions on managed devices.
• Assess data exposure risks. Identify whether open tabs could include confidential business information or personal data that should not be shared with external AI systems.
• Clarify approved use cases. Define where tab-aware AI support is helpful, such as public web research or draft comparisons, and where it should be restricted.
• Update AI usage guidance. Staff may need simple rules on when to use browser-connected AI tools and when to switch to manual handling.
• Test before wider rollout. Businesses considering adoption should evaluate accuracy, workflow value and security implications in a controlled environment first.

The update is a practical sign that AI assistants are moving closer to live browser activity rather than working only from pasted text and uploaded files. For European businesses, the opportunity is clear: less manual comparison work and faster research. But the trade-off is equally clear: stronger oversight will be needed when AI tools can see more of what employees are doing in the browser.