Even though there’s practically a new AI tool launching every day, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is still most people’s go-to. And despite there being arguably better alternatives out there, it continues to dominate the conversation.
If you’ve been keeping up with the AI world lately, you’ve probably noticed the big thing right now is AI-powered browsers. While companies like Opera and Perplexity beat OpenAI to the punch, the company actually announced a prototype of its own search engine back in July 2024. Today, that prototype has finally evolved into a full-fledged browser, and it’s (sort of) available to try.
OpenAI’s new Atlas browser brings ChatGPT to every tab
OpenAI's long-rumored AI-powered browser is finally out today, and it’s called ChatGPT Atlas. The browser is the company’s latest move to challenge Google’s grip on how we search the web.
As you’d expect, it’s powered by ChatGPT at its core and comes with a range of smart features designed to change how you browse, search, and get things done online. With the browser, ChatGPT is present whenever you're using it.
OpenAI explains that it can help you right where you are and even understand the task you're trying to do, and complete it with you. The company says Atlas gets smarter and more helpful as you continue to use it, thanks to browser memories. This means Atlas is capable of remembering context from all the sites you visit and instantly bringing that context back to you when it’s relevant. The company illustrated this with the following example in its blog post:
This means you can ask ChatGPT questions like: “Find all the job postings I was looking at last week and create a summary of industry trends so I can prepare for interviews.”
When I first read this, I was instantly reminded of Microsoft’s Recall feature — the one that tried to remember everything you did on your PC. Fortunately, the feature is completely optional, and OpenAI claims you’re always in control and can view or archive the memories whenever you want.
ChatGPT Atlas brings true agentic browsing to your desktop
My favorite feature in AI browsers is their ability to do tasks for you. Opera Neon’s agentic mode is incredible, and Comet does a fine job as well. Norton’s new AI browser, Neo, is missing one, but that’s likely intentional. Unsurprisingly, ChatGPT is also capable of performing tasks for you, all thanks to its agent mode.
Given that most people rely heavily on ChatGPT nowadays, being able to access it at all times with the click of a button, and it being able to understand the context of the webpage you’re browsing instantly, is reason enough to make Atlas worth checking out. It removes the back and forth of switching between tabs or copying and pasting content just to ask a quick question. Everything happens right where you are.
Surprisingly, ChatGPT Atlas is launching worldwide for all ChatGPT users, including those on the free plan. The only catch is that the browser is currently only available on macOS. However, the company has confirmed that the Windows, iOS, and Android versions are also coming soon. You can try the browser out yourself by clicking on this link.