OpenAI launched its much-anticipated web browser, ChatGPT Atlas, on Tuesday, intensifying rivalry in the browser market by directly challenging Google Chrome’s dominance. Atlas integrates OpenAI’s widely-used ChatGPT, leveraging its substantial user base of 800 million weekly active users to expand further into consumer digital routines.
The introduction of Atlas underscores OpenAI’s strategy to tap into user data by monitoring browsing habits and aims to accelerate the industry shift toward AI-driven online search. Unlike conventional keyword-based engines, AI-powered conversational tools such as Atlas synthesize and deliver relevant information, raising the competitive stakes against Google.
Alphabet Inc., the parent company behind Chrome, saw its shares slide by 2.3% following the news.
Atlas offers users the ability to activate a ChatGPT-powered sidebar in any browser window, providing instant content summaries, product comparisons, and data analysis from across the web. For paid subscribers, the new “agent mode” feature allows ChatGPT to autonomously interact with websites to execute complex tasks end-to-end, such as researching travel destinations and completing online purchases.
During a live demonstration on Tuesday, OpenAI engineers illustrated how Atlas can be used to source a recipe online and then automatically place an order for all the required ingredients through Instacart—a process managed entirely by the AI agent within minutes.
Currently, Atlas is available globally for Apple’s macOS, with Windows, iOS, and Android versions expected in the near future.
