OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has launched a new web browser called Atlas, setting the stage for a fresh rivalry with Google in the battle for dominance of AI-powered internet search.
Chief Executive Sam Altman unveiled the browser during a live presentation on Tuesday, describing it as "an AI-powered web browser built around ChatGPT."
According to Altman, Atlas introduces an innovative "agent mode" that allows ChatGPT to browse the internet on behalf of users.
In this mode, the chatbot can independently conduct searches, explore websites, and return results, all without the user needing to lift a finger.
"It’s got all your stuff and is clicking around. You can watch it or not, you don’t have to, but it’s using the internet for you," Altman said.
Atlas will first be available on computers running Apple’s macOS, while the agent mode will be exclusive to ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers.
Altman revealed plans are underway to expand access to Windows and mobile devices, though no release date was given.
The browser’s features, demonstrated during the live event, appeared similar to tools already integrated into Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, both of which have recently embedded AI capabilities in their platforms.
The launch underscores the escalating competition among tech giants such as Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Elon Musk’s xAI, all investing heavily in artificial intelligence since the breakthrough release of ChatGPT in 2022.
Atlas’s debut also coincides with a notable moment for Google, which recently avoided a forced breakup of its Chrome browser following a major US antitrust ruling.
While Judge Amit Mehta declined to order a sell-off, he imposed measures requiring Google to share certain data and refrain from exclusive search deals, decisions that could reshape the competitive landscape just as AI-driven search technology begins to take hold.
Altman described Atlas as an early but promising step toward a future where AI doesn’t just answer questions, it navigates the web for you.
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