OpenAI has launched a new web browser called ChatGPT Atlas, designed to redefine online browsing by integrating a chat-based experience. The company aims to create a new era for the web with Atlas, moving beyond traditional browsing methods.
Ben Goodger, OpenAI’s Engineering Lead for Atlas, introduced the browser as an answer to the question, “What if you could chat with your browser?” Atlas incorporates familiar browser features like tabs, bookmarks, and password autofill but centers around ChatGPT instead of just adding a chatbot to an existing browser. The home screen transforms the typical search bar into a composer bar for communicating with ChatGPT.
With conversational prompts, users can ask ChatGPT to find web pages, search the web, or go to a specific website or bookmark. Ryan O’Rouke, Atlas’s Lead Designer, emphasized that users could search both the web and their browsing history, referred to as “memories,” using natural language. This allows for discovering documents, web pages, and more, even without knowing exact URLs or titles.
Atlas’s search results showcase a mix of curated web content based on user prompts, alongside traditional search results like links, images, and videos. The browser allows users to summon ChatGPT anytime while browsing, enabling them to interact with the page. CEO Sam Altman called this feature “chatting with a webpage.”
The chatbot, available in a sidebar on desktop, can summarize web content, answer page-specific questions, and even interact with pages for the user. A key feature is the integration of ChatGPT’s Agent, which can complete tasks like purchasing ingredients for a recipe from Instacart. The Agent is activated within the browser and can perform actions on behalf of the user, with prompts for user approval when needed.
Agent’s functionality relies on user credentials to complete tasks, and users can track its progress in real-time. If needed, users can regain control at any time. Will Ellsworth, Research Lead for the Atlas Agent, highlighted that the tool enables users to delegate both personal and professional tasks to the Agent.
Atlas is now available on macOS, with plans for Windows, iOS, and Android versions. While the browser will be accessible to all ChatGPT users, the Agent feature will require a paid subscription, available only to Plus ($20/month) and Pro ($200/month) users.
In response, Google has introduced AI features to its Chrome browser, including an AI chatbot and the potential for an AI agent. Companies like Opera, Microsoft, and The Browser company are also working on AI-driven browser innovations.
