OpenAI launches ChatGPT Atlas, an AI-powered web browser

OpenAI has officially launched a browser of its own called ChatGPT Atlas.

By Margaret Wanjiru
Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Another standout feature is its Browser Memory, a new opt-in system where your browsing activity forms a persistent, AI-accessible context.

OpenAI has officially launched a browser of its own called ChatGPT Atlas.

Announced on October 21, 2025, the new AI-powered browser is OpenAI’s most direct challenge to entrenched players like Google Chrome, Apple’s Safari, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox.

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But Atlas is more than just another Chromium-based browser; it is different. Rather than simply offering a place to type URLs and perform searches, ChatGPT Atlas makes your AI assistant the centre of the browsing experience. It is a browser built around ChatGPT.

At its core is a persistent, context-aware sidebar that integrates OpenAI’s language model into every aspect of web navigation. Whether you are reading news, shopping online, or comparing academic sources, the assistant can summarise, explain, translate, and even recommend next steps, all without leaving the page.

Another standout feature is its Browser Memory, a new opt-in system where your browsing activity forms a persistent, AI-accessible context.

This means you can ask, “What job listings did I review last week?” or “Summarise all the real estate pages I browsed yesterday.”

OpenAI emphasises user control here: you can view, archive, delete, or disable memories at any time. It is personalisation without the opacity often associated with algorithmic tracking.

Then there is Agent Mode, perhaps the most futuristic aspect of Atlas.

In this mode (currently limited to premium users), ChatGPT can actually interact with web pages on your behalf: opening tabs, clicking links, filling out forms, and gathering information in real-time, all while you supervise the process.

Early testers have used Agent Mode to plan trips, compile research, and even automate simple online purchases, with appropriate safeguards.

OpenAI stresses that Agent Mode is “read-only” in sensitive areas: it will not run code, install plugins, or interact with secure pages like banking sites.

“We’ve reached a point where people no longer want to browse passively,” said Mira Tannen, Director of Product at OpenAI.

“They want to delegate, to synthesise, to act. Atlas is about giving users that capability, on their terms.”

Google has long dominated not just search, but the browser market. Chrome is the gateway to the web for billions. But OpenAI, armed with one of the world’s most advanced language models, sees an opening: what if the browser itself becomes intelligent?

Atlas is launching first as a beta on macOS, available to users of all ChatGPT subscription tiers (Free, Plus, Pro, Go, and Business).

Windows, iOS, and Android versions are reportedly in development, with rollouts expected in the coming months.