OpenAI AI-enabled browser ChatGPT is entering the browser world with the launch of Atlas.
Atlas, now available globally, can be accessed through Apple’s macOS, with support for Windows, iOS, and Android coming soon. The announcement comes several months after rumors in July that OpenAI would release a web browser that would challenge the dominance GoogleIt is chrome.
one in live streamCEO Sam Altman said he hoped Atlas would help usher in a new way of interacting with and using the web, where people chat through a browser rather than typing in URLs.
“We think AI presents a rare once-in-a-decade opportunity to rethink what a browser can be and how it should be used, and how to use the Web in the most productive and enjoyable way,” Altman said. “Tabs were great, but we haven’t seen a lot of innovation since then, so we got really excited to rethink what it could be.”
Atlas aims to provide users with a more intuitive way to browse the web and ask questions to chat agents. It invites users to find information either through a prompt or question, or by simply typing a URL.
Part of Atlas’ value proposition is the ability to call agent to act Directly in the browser. However, agents will only be available to ChatGPIT Business, Plus, and Pro users for now.
Users can download Atlas from its dedicated siteBut they need to log in to their ChatGPT account to start using it.
Browser chat about your memories
Atlas differentiates itself from browsers like Chrome or AppleSafari with its chat feature. The home page is essentially ChatGPT, with a prompt box and several suggested questions. OpenAI said during the livestream that the more people use Atlas, the more personalized the suggestions will become.
The chat box “follows” the user, meaning people can chat with ChatGPT on any website. The model will read what’s on the browser and answer any questions users have.
When you open Atlas for the first time, it prompts you to import data from other browsers you’re using. When I set mine up, it only asked me for Chrome or Safari, the two browsers I primarily use. Importing browser data creates a memory base for the atlas that ChatGPT will reference. So far, the Atlas’s memory is hit or miss. I connected my Chrome history, and when I asked about a travel destination search I made recently (and have been searching for every day for a month), Atlas claimed I had never searched for that information.
In-browser chat also reduces the copy-paste that users often use when composing emails. People can open their Gmail, then ask ChatGPT in the browser for help organizing messages. Of course, Gmail or any other Google Workspace product already offers Gemini-powered abilitiesLike email rewriting.
Fiji Simo, OpenAI CEO of Applications, said in a blog post Users can turn browser memory on or off and control what they can see.
Agent mode on browser
Over the past few months, OpenAI has strengthened its agent infrastructure in the expectation that individuals and enterprises will rely more and more on agents.
Agents on Atlas can use the browser when needed to complete a task. For example, you might be looking at a recipe and ask Chat to create a grocery list. The agent can then start shopping on your favorite grocery site. OpenAI has already added buy button on chatgpt And proposed an agentive commerce protocol, which could be helpful for Atlas. However, during the demo, OpenAI staff chose not to allow the agent to proceed with purchasing the products.
Placing the agent directly in the browser goes one step further from point A, where the browser uses an agent in Chrome. Ideally, it already knows what you were looking for and has the information needed to access and execute it on the browser.
A new browser war
More and more people are using AI models and chat platforms search the webLaunching AI-enabled browsers has become another battleground for model providers. Of course, as Chrome has become more popular, it has gradually added AI capabilities thanks to Google’s Gemini model. Google is also experimenting with other AI-powered search capabilities, like generative image searchBut, companies like distresswith comet browserHoping to compete with Chrome. OperaChrome’s longtime competitor Chrome also positioned itself as an AI-powered browser by incorporating AI features into its platform.
For some people, Atlas represents a new way to use a web browser.
However, many point out that Atlas did not actually invent the wheel, as it shares some characteristics with the Comet.
The interesting thing about Atlas is how familiar it is. It looks exactly like ChatGPT, but it also has tabs like Chrome.
OpenAI stressed that this is the first version of the atlas, meaning it may not be its final form. It is certain that Atlas AI is OpenAI’s first volley in the browser wars.
