Chrome isn’t going anywhere soon; it’s too entrenched. But Atlas introduces a different rhythm to how we use the internet; one that feels less mechanical and more conversational.
The standout features are its chat-with-the-page sidebar and Agent Mode.
OpenAI has rolled out a new internet browser called Atlas that integrates directly with ChatGPT. Browsers have always been silent enablers — the pipes through which we reach the internet. What’s happening now is that the pipe itself is starting to think, writes Anand Jain
What is OpenAI’s Atlas all about?
Atlas is Open AI’s take on the web browser. The simplest way of explaining it to someone is if ChatGPT was turned into a browser. It blends traditional web navigation with a conversational interface. Instead of just clicking through links (which you can still do if you choose to), you can ask Atlas to summarise, compare, extract, or even perform tasks on a page. It’s also built with optional memory and privacy controls, so it feels more like a helpful assistant than a passive window to the internet.
Broadly speaking, much like its other AI-enabled browser counterparts, Atlas is reimagining browsing as a dialogue rather than the traditional ‘sequence of clicks.’ And since it seamlessly ties seamlessly into the larger OpenAI ecosystem, users can move between search, chat, and action without switching tools; a small but meaningful glimpse into what an integrated AI workspace might look like.
How does it challenge Google’s Chrome dominance?
For now, the competition with Chrome will play out on slightly subtler grounds than most may realise. For nearly two decades, browsers such as Chrome have been about navigation: you open a page, search, click, repeat. Atlas flips that idea on its head. It’s built around intent rather than action — tell it what you’re trying to do, and it helps you get there with summaries, comparisons, and task execution built in. In that sense, it questions whether the old tab-and-search routine is still the best way to experience the web. Chrome isn’t going anywhere soon; it’s too entrenched. But Atlas introduces a different rhythm to how we use the internet; one that feels less mechanical and more conversational. That alone makes it a credible alternative, even if not a direct replacement.
AI features that make Atlas different
The standout features are its chat-with-the-page sidebar and Agent Mode. The sidebar lets you ask questions directly about what you’re reading; no copy-pasting into a separate window or toggling between tabs. You can request a summary, translate sections, or even ask the page to explain itself in simpler terms. Agent Mode goes further: it can plan and execute multi-step tasks, like comparing product specs, compiling research, or gathering data across multiple sites. Atlas also includes opt-in memory, which allows it to retain context across sessions, and contextual understanding that lets it tailor responses to what you’re doing in real time. Combined, these should make it feel less like a static browser and more like an intelligent workspace. The idea is for the browser to stop feeling like a window where work gets done, and more like a digital co-worker helping you out get through the everyday grind.
How AI is transforming the browser space
When you look back to the original idea of what a browser was meant to do, it was a simple value proposition: a tool that helps you browse the internet. For years, innovation focused on speed, security, and extensions, but the core experience barely changed. Now, with products like Atlas and Comet, that definition is expanding. Browsing is becoming intent-driven: you tell the browser what you need, and it helps you get there through summaries, comparisons, and even automated actions. This shift is subtle but significant. It turns the browser from a passive gateway into an active participant — one that can interpret, filter, and act on information rather than simply display it. Over time, this could reshape how users discover content, how brands connect with audiences, and even how privacy, productivity, and personalisation are understood online.
Browsers have always been silent enablers — the pipes through which we reach the internet. What’s happening now is that the pipe itself is starting to think. That’s not a small change; it alters how we trust, how we search, and even how we decide. The interesting question isn’t whether Atlas will win market share, but how long it will take before users start expecting this level of intelligence everywhere. Once you’ve had a browser that can reason, summarise, or act on your behalf, going back to a passive one will feel oddly limited.
There’s also a cultural shift here; from exploration to delegation. AI browsers make the web feel more efficient, but perhaps a little less surprising. As the interface becomes smarter, we might find ourselves doing less browsing and more briefing.
The writer is co-founder and chief marketing officer, CleverTap