OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, has unveiled a new AI-powered web browser called ChatGPT Atlas, positioning it as a direct challenge to dominant players like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
Unveiled on Tuesday, ChatGPT Atlas eliminates the traditional address bar, instead offering a design centered around the company’s flagship AI chatbot. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman described the browser as “built around ChatGPT” and confirmed its initial release on Apple’s macOS.
Built Around AI Interaction
Atlas integrates ChatGPT deeply into the browsing experience. Users can search, summarize, and interact with web content conversationally, while a new “agent mode” — available only to paying ChatGPT subscribers — allows the AI to conduct autonomous searches and complete web-based tasks on the user’s behalf.
“Agent mode makes browsing faster and more useful by working directly with your browsing context,” OpenAI said in a statement.
OpenAI’s Expanding Ecosystem
The browser’s release comes as OpenAI accelerates efforts to monetize its AI ecosystem and draw users toward its online services. The company recently formed partnerships with Etsy, Shopify, Expedia, and Booking.com to enable seamless shopping and travel planning via ChatGPT.
OpenAI’s user base has doubled since early 2025, with 800 million weekly active users, up from 400 million in February, according to data from Demandsage.
Analysts Cautious About Adoption
Industry analysts say Atlas will likely attract tech enthusiasts but face an uphill battle in the mainstream browser market.
“Early adopters will kick the tires on the new OpenAI browser,” said Pat Moorhead, CEO of Moor Insights & Strategy. “But I’m skeptical it will seriously challenge Chrome or Edge — most corporate and casual users will wait for their preferred browsers to add similar AI features.”
A New Front in the AI Search Wars
OpenAI’s move intensifies competition in the AI-driven search space, following a US court ruling last year that declared Google an illegal monopolist in online search. Although the court stopped short of ordering Google to divest Chrome, the decision has emboldened competitors.
According to research firm Datos, 6% of all desktop searches in July 2025 were made through large language model tools like ChatGPT — more than double the figure from a year earlier.
Meanwhile, Google has responded by embedding AI-generated answers directly into its search results, while Microsoft’s Edge browser already integrates Copilot AI features.
The Bottom Line
With ChatGPT Atlas, OpenAI is betting that AI-native browsing — where users chat, search, and act all in one interface — represents the future of the internet.
Whether it can truly loosen Google Chrome’s 60% market grip remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the browser wars have entered a new, AI-driven era.
About the Author
