Atlas from OpenAI Announces the Birth of a New Generation of Smart Browsers
OpenAI has launched the next revolution in the browsing world with the official release of the new web browser "ChatGPT Atlas" (ChatGPT Atlas) in a live broadcast on Tuesday, October 21, in a move that will put the company in direct competition with tech giants.
The new browser resembles traditional browsers in its shape and design, but the essence of the difference lies in being fully built around the generative AI assistant "ChatGPT". This unique architecture allows users to leverage chat capabilities while browsing any webpage, enabling them to create instant summaries, ask questions, and accomplish various tasks without needing to leave the page.
The launch was accompanied by strong statements from the company's leaders, with CEO Sam Altman commenting: "We believe that AI represents a rare opportunity that comes once a decade to rethink what a browser is."
For his part, Adam Fry, Head of Atlas Products, highlighted one of the key features that makes the experience smoother, saying: "As ChatGPT will follow users across the web using Atlas, they will no longer have to copy and paste between tabs." He added that the browser is equipped with a "memory" that will help it understand user behavior and increase the level of personalization over time.
The launch of "Atlas" places OpenAI in direct competition with companies like "Google" and "Perplexity AI", which had also launched the "Comet" browser for free earlier this month, while "Google" integrated the "Gemini" model into the "Chrome" browser last month.
The market reaction was swift, as shares of "Alphabet", Google's parent company, fell by about 3% following the announcement of the new launch, indicating the potential impact of this new competitor.
"Atlas" features the capabilities of AI "agents", allowing "ChatGPT" to take actions on behalf of users, such as completing hotel and flight booking tasks or even editing documents.
Currently, the browser is available for "macOS" users worldwide, while the "agents" feature is limited to subscribers of the "Plus" and "Pro" plans. The company announced plans to launch beta versions for "Windows", "iOS", and "Android" soon.
Sam Altman concluded his remarks by emphasizing that the project is still in its early stages, saying: "There is a lot to add, we are still in the early phases of this project," promising users more developments and future functionalities.
