Everything you need to know about Atlas, OpenAI’s new web browser
Getty Images
You've been using Chrome forever. Maybe Safari. Firefox if you're feeling rebellious. Well, OpenAI just dropped Atlas, and it combines ChatGPT with a web browser.
Atlas fundamentally changes how you interact with the web. Matt Wolfe, founder of FutureTools and YouTuber on the topic of AI, watched the whole livestream so you don't have to. He broke down the five main takeaways that matter most.
Your browser has been limited for too long. It shows you pages. It stores your bookmarks. It remembers your passwords. That's it. Atlas thinks differently. Rivalling Google search's AI model, Atlas puts AI at the centre of everything you do online.
You can stop opening ChatGPT in one tab while researching in another. You can stop copying and pasting between windows. The browser itself becomes your AI assistant.
Open AI news: Atlas changes how browsers work completely
AI chat comes first, not as an afterthought
Wolfe notes that Atlas "puts AI Chat First. The URL bar doubles as a ChatGPT prompt, with built-in AI search (web/images/video/news) and an 'Ask ChatGPT' sidebar that understands the page you're on." You use one unified system.
MORE FOR YOU
Type a question where you'd normally type a URL. Atlas knows whether you want to visit a website or get an answer from ChatGPT. Click the sidebar while reading an article, and ChatGPT instantly understands the context. It can summarize, explain, or expand on what you're reading without you copying a single line of text.
Memory that actually works (when you want it to)
"Atlas can recall past chats and browsing history to resurface pages/tasks later, with clear toggles to disable memories and usage for training," Wolfe explains. This serves you with intentional memory.
Maybe you researched competitors last week. Atlas remembers. Ask about that research today, and it pulls up the pages you visited plus the context of why you were looking. Turn it off anytime you want. Keep certain sessions private. You control what Atlas remembers and what it forgets.
Agent mode handles tasks while you work on strategy
Wolfe reveals that "only on paid Plus/Pro plans (so far), Atlas can browse, click, type, and handle tasks in your logged-in tabs, with guardrails and a manual handoff before checkout." This changes everything about everyday processes for your business.
Give Atlas a task like "find me three potential podcast guests who've written about AI productivity." Watch it search, evaluate results, and compile a list while you focus on bigger problems. It requires your approval before completing purchases, but it handles the research and preparation that eats your time.
Migration without the pain of starting over
"Atlas can import Chrome bookmarks, history and passwords and supports extensions, so you don't have to start from scratch if you're switching from another browser," according to Wolfe. You can keep your entire setup.
Your workflow stays intact. Your favorite extensions still work. Your passwords transfer over. You keep what works and add what Chrome never offered. The transition takes minutes.
The waiting game for PC users
Wolfe points out that Atlas is "free to download now on Mac, but for Windows and mobile users it's 'coming soon.'" Mac users get first access. Everyone else waits.
New software launches often work this way, but it means PC users need patience. Mobile users too. The browser that could transform how you work online remains unavailable where most people work. For now.
What OpenAI’s web browser Atlas means for how you work
You’ve just been handed a new way to interact with information online. Every search becomes a conversation. Every article becomes a starting point for deeper exploration. Every task that used to require multiple tools now happens in one place.
Think about your current workflow. How many tabs do you have open? How many times do you switch between ChatGPT and other sites? How often do you lose track of research from last week? Maybe Atlas will solve problems you've gotten so used to that you forgot they were problems.
The companies that adopt relevant AI tools fastest will dominate their industries. Atlas represents the next evolution. Start experimenting and find out what's possible.
Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
