On October 21, 2025, OpenAI revealed its new web browser, ChatGPT Atlas in a livestream event that shocked the entire tech world. Built around the power of OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, Atlas aims to change how users interact with the internet by seamlessly integrating conversational AI into web browsing. With Google Chrome commanding the browser market for years, OpenAI has finally launched a strong contender.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, kicked off the announcement by framing the launch as “a rare, once-a-decade opportunity to rethink what a browser can be.” Altman highlighted that while innovations like the URL bar and tabbed browsing once revolutionized the web, the conventional browser interface has stagnated. “The chat experience and the web browser can be a quick analogue,” Altman said, signaling a shift toward conversational AI as the new interface paradigm.
ChatGPT Atlas embeds OpenAI’s latest GPT-5 chatbot into the browsing experience, providing users with an always-accessible AI companion. Unlike traditional search, which directs users to external pages, Atlas enables a multi-turn chat with search results and web content side-by-side. Ben Goodger, Atlas’s head of engineering and veteran developer of Chrome and Firefox, described this as a “multi-turn experience” that makes search fluid and conversational.
The browser includes an “Ask ChatGPT” sidebar on any page, so you can quickly get summaries, ask questions, or even get help with tasks, all without needing to switch tabs or copy text over. This side-by-side setup creates a seamless connection between browsing and AI assistance.
Personalised and Private Assistance
One of Atlas’s key features is the ability to remember key details from users’ browsing histories and interactions, creating what OpenAI calls “browser memories.” This function enables ChatGPT to provide more personalized responses by recalling past browsing contexts, enhancing productivity and user convenience. Since privacy remains paramount, users can control which sites contribute to these memories and easily manage or delete stored data.
Atlas also introduced an “agent mode” that lets ChatGPT autonomously perform actions on the user’s behalf. It not only responds to queries, but actively books flights, makes reservations, edits documents by leveraging live browsing data.
This feature currently requires a ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription and offers a glimpse into AI-assisted multitasking. Sam Altman explained, “It’s got all your information; it’s navigating for you, and you can observe it. You don’t have to, but it’s effectively utilizing the internet on your behalf.” This automation promises to streamline complex task management traditionally scattered across multiple apps and tabs.
OpenAI’s browser launch directly challenges Google Chrome, the world’s most popular browser. While Google has integrated AI via Gemini into Chrome, Atlas’s conversational and autonomous AI experience offers a drastically different approach that could shift user preferences.
For Google, the risks are considerable. Chrome has been a critical pipeline for ad revenue, as the browser funnels user traffic to Google Search, the company’s highest-grossing business. Recent U.S. Department of Justice antitrust rulings have reviewed Google’s ability to secure default search exclusivity deals with device manufacturers and carriers, eroding some of its competitive advantages.
This legal scrutiny reflects wider concerns about Google’s dominance in the search and browser markets. ChatGPT’s existing massive user base of 800 million weekly active users represents a huge opportunity for OpenAI to capture browser market share.
Industry Reception
Industry analysts express cautious optimism. Pat Moorhead, CEO at Moor Insights & Strategy, noted, “Early adopters will kick the tires on the new OpenAI browser, but mainstream and corporate users may wait for legacy browsers like Edge and Chrome to catch up.” Microsoft Edge already integrates many AI capabilities, which might buffer it against Atlas’s incursion.
Nevertheless, OpenAI’s strategic partnerships with e-commerce giants like Etsy, Shopify, Expedia, and Booking.com bolster Atlas’s potential as a shopping and productivity platform, deepening its ecosystem and user value.
OpenAI emphasizes its commitment to user privacy in Atlas. Unlike competitors, Atlas collects contextual data directly from users’ browsing for AI enhancement but provides transparent settings for data control. Given increasing privacy concerns around giants like Google and Meta, this approach could appeal to privacy-conscious users seeking AI convenience without sacrificing security.
Atlas is currently available globally on macOS, with Windows, iOS, and Android versions slated for release soon. Its “agent mode” is in preview for paying ChatGPT subscribers and enterprise users can access beta versions. OpenAI positions Atlas not as a finished product but as the foundation for improvements powered by user feedback and AI advancements.
