ChatGPT Atlas is OpenAI’s attempt to rule the internet
Atlas is built on Chromium, and it has everything you would expect from a modern web browser – tabs, bookmarks, incognito mode, a password autofill feature, and more. The app stands out by integrating ChatGPT into the browser experience with a few key features.Browser memories allow ChatGPT to gain context from your browser history and use it when needed. For example, you could ask the chatbot to remind you of all the job listings you’ve seen over the last week or create a to-do list from your recent activity. The feature is optional, and once you delete your browsing history, the related memories will also be erased.
OpenAI’s promotional video for ChatGPT Atlas | Video credit – OpenAI
There’s also a dedicated “Ask ChatGPT” button, which is always present in the upper right-hand corner of the browser. Once clicked, it opens a sidebar with the chatbot, which allows you to ask questions about the current webpage without closing it or moving away from it. You can also use the so-called Cursor feature to edit text with ChatGPT in any open text field.
Atlas is available on macOS for all ChatGPT users. OpenAI says support for Windows, iOS, and Android is coming soon.
The browser wars are heating up
OpenAI is joining the next battleground for AI dominance. Google Chrome has been the dominant web browser for a long time, but many believe that the AI revolution will shake things up fundamentally. Through chatbots and agents, users will change how they work, search for information, and interact with apps and websites.
That’s the reason behind the current boom of AI-powered browsers. Perplexity launched Comet, The Browser Company, famous for its browser Arc, launched Dia, Opera is testing the agentic browser Neon, and Google and Microsoft are updating their own Chrome and Edge. Apple, as is becoming common in the age of AI, is mostly staying out of it and hasn’t pushed AI into Safari.
Switching browsers is not an easy thing
Launching a browser is the least shocking move from OpenAI, but that’s far from enough to win people over. While I’m sure many ChatGPT power users will happily switch to Atlas right away, a new browser needs a lot of work before getting mainstream adoption.
I, for one, don’t plan to move away from Arc’s horizontal tabs anytime soon. As good as ChatGPT’s AI-powered features sound, they’re not enough for me to leave all my habits behind.
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