OpenAI unveils Atlas browser, taking aim at Google Chrome

OpenAI has entered the web browser market with the launch of Atlas, a new browser designed to integrate artificial intelligence directly into the online search experience — setting up a major showdown with Google's dominant Chrome browser.

The San Francisco-based company behind ChatGPT hopes Atlas will turn its chatbot into a central gateway for browsing the web, potentially drawing more users and digital ad revenue. However, analysts warn it could further reduce traffic to traditional news outlets if users rely on ChatGPT's summaries instead of visiting external websites.

ChatGPT currently has over 800 million users, though most use it for free. Despite paid subscriptions, OpenAI continues to operate at a loss and is seeking new sources of revenue. Atlas is initially available on Apple laptops, with versions for Windows, iOS, and Android to follow soon.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described Atlas as "a once-in-a-decade opportunity to rethink what a browser can be." But Forrester analyst Paddy Harrington cautioned that going up against Google, which holds a massive market share with Chrome's 3 billion users, will be an enormous challenge.

Atlas includes a premium "agent mode" allowing the AI to browse autonomously, using a person's search history to find and explain information — what Altman called "using the internet for you."

However, critics warn this could make users overly dependent on algorithms. "It's taking personality away from you," Harrington said, questioning how personalized or ad-free such browsing could remain.

With AI-powered search growing rapidly — used by nearly 60% of Americans, according to an AP-NORC survey — OpenAI's Atlas could mark a major shift in how people interact with the internet.