ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has unveiled a new AI-powered web browser, named ChatGPT Atlas, aiming to challenge industry leaders such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
Unveiled on Tuesday for Apple’s macOS, Atlas removes the traditional address bar and is “built around ChatGPT,” according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The company said the browser integrates directly with its popular chatbot, allowing users to browse and interact online through AI.
The launch marks another major step in OpenAI’s efforts to monetise its growing user base and expand beyond the ChatGPT platform. Atlas will feature a paid “agent mode”, exclusive to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, which can automatically conduct searches and summarise results using the chatbot’s contextual understanding.
OpenAI said the feature “makes the experience faster and more useful by working with your browsing context.”
The company has also announced new partnerships with e-commerce platforms such as Etsy and Shopify, as well as travel booking sites Expedia and Booking.com, in a push to build a broader ecosystem around ChatGPT.
Speaking at OpenAI’s DevDay event earlier this month, Altman revealed that ChatGPT had reached 800 million weekly active users, up from 400 million in February, according to data firm Demandsage.
Industry analyst Pat Moorhead, CEO of Moor Insights & Strategy, said early adopters would likely “kick the tyres” on the new browser, but added he was sceptical that Atlas would pose a serious threat to Chrome or Edge, noting that “mainstream and corporate users will wait for their favourite browsers to add similar capabilities.”
Microsoft Edge already includes many AI-powered features through its partnership with OpenAI.
The move comes a year after Google was declared an illegal monopolist in online search by a US court, though it avoided being forced to divest its Chrome browser.
Recent data shows a growing trend towards AI-driven search: research firm Datos found that as of July, 6% of desktop search traffic went to large language models such as ChatGPT – more than double last year’s figure.
Also read: OpenAI to permit erotica for verified adult users on ChatGPT
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