Just now, OpenAI launched its first AI browser! It's not like Chrome, but it aims to change the way you surf the web | With hands-on testing
Just now, OpenAI officially released its first browser, ChatGPT Atlas.
Over the past decade or so, Chrome has basically been the standard gateway for everyone to access the Internet. But if there is now an AI browser that directly integrates ChatGPT and comes with memory and Agent capabilities, would you be willing to give it a try?
This is what Atlas, launched today, aims to achieve.
OpenAI states that Atlas is a browser built around ChatGPT, rather than simply stuffing ChatGPT into it. Its core concept is comprehensive integration:
Invoke the sidebar at any time: Click the "Ask ChatGPT" button, and you can open the ChatGPT sidebar on the right side of any page. ChatGPT, which always understands the context, can read the detailed content of the page you're on, help you summarize the content, explain information, or directly handle tasks within the current window.
AI assistance feature: When entering content in any open text input box, ChatGPT can provide real-time modification suggestions and intelligent completion to help you type more efficiently.
Agent mode: Allows ChatGPT to autonomously complete multi-step tasks in the browser.
Starting today, macOS users can start using it. Users of the free, Plus, Pro, and Go versions of ChatGPT can all download and experience it. The Windows, iOS, and Android versions will be launched soon.
Download link: chatgpt.com/atlas
However, the Agent mode is currently only available to Plus, Pro, and Business users, and it is still in its early stages. It may make mistakes when handling complex tasks. Additionally, if you set Atlas as your preferred browser, you can also get a seven-day membership trial with a higher usage quota.
The memory function of the Atlas browser is quite interesting. It enables ChatGPT to remember the context of the websites you've visited and recall this information when you need it.
For example, you can ask it: "Find all the job postings I viewed last week and summarize the industry trends to help me prepare for an interview."
This might be the complete manifestation of the vision of an "AI personal assistant": It remembers who you are, what you've done, and can even complete tasks on your behalf.
Of course, regarding privacy issues, you have full control over what ChatGPT can see and remember while you're browsing. You can choose to clear the records of specific pages, empty your entire browsing history, or open an "incognito window" to browse temporarily without logging in to ChatGPT.
OpenAI claims that by default, it will not use the web page content you browse for model training.
Moreover, Atlas also supports parental control features. If parents have set parental controls for ChatGPT, these settings will automatically apply to Atlas. OpenAI has also added new parental control options specifically designed for Atlas. For example, parents can turn off browser memory or disable the Agent mode.
Atlas = Google + ChatGPT?
When you open the homepage of Atlas, it still looks quite similar to ChatGPT.
After entering a question, Atlas will pop up a candidate window, offering two options: Google and Chat, as well as some specific links.
As the name suggests, the Google option directly redirects you to the regular search engine page, while the latter is similar to a common AI chat assistant, invoking the ChatGPT model to directly provide an answer. Moreover, each question you ask on Atlas will be retained in your ChatGPT account's chat history.
In addition to the answers in the dialog box, you can also switch tabs to browse search links, images, videos, and news. Most of them also offer the option to redirect to the Google search engine.
There are still differences in the performance of different models when asking questions.
For example, when I asked "Can pets take high-speed trains now?", although you could clearly see the official link stating that it is allowed by clicking on the search source, GPT - 5 Instant failed to integrate the correct answer.
In contrast, when switched to GPT - 5 Thinking, it gave a correct and rigorous response.
The interactive design of Atlas is a plus.
Traditional AI plugins are mainly presented in the form of sidebars and floating windows, covering functions such as AI chat, translation, and web page summarization.
Similarly, the search result page of Atlas is displayed in a split - screen view with ChatGPT by default. Clicking on the Ask ChatGPT button in the upper right corner is like introducing an AI plugin. The original web page is displayed on the left, and you can have multiple rounds of conversations with ChatGPT on the right, rather than the traditional single - search redirection.
For example, by highlighting a word, you can directly search for or get an explanation on the right side of the web page, or ask it to summarize an article.
During the live broadcast early this morning, an OpenAI employee searched for a movie, viewed movie reviews on websites like Roger Ebert, and then asked ChatGPT to summarize the review content in less than five words. This basic operation was not very difficult.
It can even optimize web page text, titles, etc. The overall operation is quite smooth.
Also during today's demonstration, when an OpenAI employee was writing an email to the team's designers, they directly selected a paragraph of text, clicked the ChatGPT button, and entered the instruction "Optimize the language".
ChatGPT optimized the text expression in place. Users can continue to iterate and modify, and finally click the "Update" button to replace the original content with the new text. This function completely simplifies the previous cumbersome process of repeatedly copying and pasting between documents and ChatGPT.
After actual testing, summarizing video content is also no problem.
In addition, Atlas also supports taking screenshots. Click the "+" sign on the right and select "Attach screenshot" to upload. I found a photo of Elon Musk and followed these steps, and it was able to accurately recognize that it was Elon Musk.
Combined with the Agent mode in the sidebar, the gameplay can be quite interesting. Netizen @mteamisloading asked the Agent to draw a flower on a painting website, and the whole process only took four minutes.
It's worth mentioning that Atlas also supports invoking web page tabs via "@". However, Dia can invoke several web page tabs simultaneously, while Atlas can only invoke one open web page at a time. It's a bit useless, and it's estimated that there will be an update later.
The Agent mode is the highlight of the Atlas browser.
In today's demonstration, an OpenAI employee planned to cook a meal for an eight - person dinner and opened a recipe website. He asked ChatGPT which ingredients were needed. ChatGPT automatically analyzed the web page content, calculated the quantities, and sorted the shopping list according to the supermarket shelves based on the user's previously mentioned preferences.
After the user confirmed, the Agent automatically opened the Instacart shopping website, searched for and added the required items to the shopping cart. The whole process only took two minutes. Although it didn't automatically place the order in the end, the prepared shopping cart saved a lot of time. The user can review it and decide whether to make the purchase.
Another example is in a work scenario. You can ask ChatGPT to open and read past team documents, conduct a new competitor research, and compile it into a team briefing.
In terms of actual experience, for example, when I put forward a requirement "Help me buy an iPhone 17 Pro Max on the Apple official website", when it executes the task in Agent mode, it will display a "Take control" button and a red "Stop" button. You can take control at any time.
The running speed is not much different from the Agent mode in ChatGPT before. We might be able to place an order in a few minutes ourselves, but it takes 19 minutes when operated by the Agent. This speed is obviously not very satisfactory.
In short, the Agent mode of Atlas is actually like splitting the Agent function in ChatGPT out separately. Meanwhile, your chat history in Atlas will also be retained in ChatGPT.
As for the overall experience of Atlas, my evaluation is that there are some surprises, but not many.
Atlas gives me the feeling of a combination of Google Search and ChatGPT conversation. However, Atlas also retains the Agent mode characteristic of ChatGPT, re - integrating the browser scenario with ChatGPT's capabilities. Searching, understanding, and task execution are all completed in a closed - loop.
It's worth mentioning that Ben Goodger, the engineer in charge of the Atlas project, has a close connection with Chrome.
He joined Google in 2005 to participate in the R & D of Chrome. He is one of the core members who made the most prominent contributions to Chrome in the entire team. He joined OpenAI in 2024 and became the overall technical R & D leader of the ChatGPT Atlas browser.
Over a long period in the past, various companies