OpenAI has launched an AI-powered browser called “ChatGPT Atlas,” directly challenging Google Chrome’s long-standing market dominance and potentially disrupting the lucrative search advertising industry. The move represents a significant escalation in the artificial intelligence (AI) battle between the tech giants.
Atlas aims to collect user behavior data and accelerate the shift toward full AI-driven search. OpenAI is leveraging its extensive ChatGPT user base, which exceeds 800 million weekly users, to expand its role in users’ online activities.
Analysts anticipate intensifying competition between OpenAI and Google. This rivalry could quicken the transition to AI-driven search, as users increasingly favor conversational tools that summarize and synthesize information over traditional keyword-based search results.
Atlas introduces a sidebar feature that allows users to open ChatGPT in any browser window. This enables users to summarize content, compare products, or analyze data from any website they are viewing.
For paid users, the browser’s “Agent Mode” enables ChatGPT to interact with websites to complete tasks from start to finish. These tasks can include conducting research or planning shopping trips.
A demonstration showcased ChatGPT automatically finding online recipes and purchasing all necessary ingredients. The AI agent navigated to Instacart and added the required groceries to a cart within minutes.
D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria noted the potential impact on advertising. “Integrating a chatbot into the browser marks the initial signal for OpenAI to start selling advertisements, which it hasn’t done before,” Luria said. “If OpenAI begins selling ads, that could significantly pull search advertising share away from Google.”
Atlas enters a competitive AI browser market that already includes Perplexity’s Comet, Brave Browser, and Opera’s Neon. These companies are rapidly integrating tools that summarize web pages, fill forms, and draft code to attract users.
Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, OpenAI has faced fierce competition from Google and startups such as Anthropic. This has prompted the company to seek new avenues for growth.
Google has also responded to the evolving search landscape. Its search results now feature “AI Overviews” or an “AI Mode” alongside traditional links, offering a chatbot-like experience.
Last month, Google integrated its Gemini AI model directly into the Chrome browser for users in the United States.
Despite the mounting competition, Google Chrome maintained a dominant global browser market share of 71.9% as of September.
ChatGPT Atlas is now available globally for Apple’s macOS. OpenAI plans to release versions for Windows, iOS, and Android devices at a later date.