The maker of the world’s most popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot has launched a web browser that could accelerate change in the way people search for and access information.
OpenAI, the company behind the pioneering generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, has launched its new internet browser, called Atlas.
It will look familiar to users of the world’s most widely used Internet browsing portal, Google Chrome, with the use of tabs and the ability to go into “incognito” mode so that viewing activity is not recorded.
Photo: OpenAI
Private browsing mode. Photo: OpenAI
“Atlas should look very familiar,” said its product manager, Adam Fry. “So it has all your tabs, bookmarks, password autofill, everything you’re used to.”
ChatGPT was integrated into Atlas’ design, not just “bolted on,” another of its creators said.
Photo: OpenAI
“We wanted to make sure Atlas didn’t look like your old browser, but just with a built-in chat button,” said its chief engineer Ben Goodger.
This means no need to copy and paste between tabs, with ChatGPT available on every page for any text box on the internet.
Photo: OpenAI
Through the home page, users can search their viewing history.
User activity on Atlas will be integrated into the experience.
“It really should feel like a natural extension of myself,” said OpenAI’s Will Ellsworth, head of Atlas’ AI agent research. Using an AI “agent” means that artificial intelligence could search, plan or book activities.
So-called natural language controls mean people can access information using prompts that are personal to them, such as “open the shoes I looked at yesterday.”
Who can use it and when?
It is currently available to Apple Mac users around the world. Even those who are registered for the free version of ChatGPT can access Atlas.
Those who pay for ChatGPT through OpenAI’s plus and pro packages can use the AI agent functionality.
It’s not clear when Atlas will be available on Windows, the iPhone’s iOS operating system, and Android.
Why is this important?
Using an AI chatbot to search the internet is different and may yield different results than traditional searching via a search engine.
The increased use of generative AI for search could lead to a loss of traffic for some websites and could change the way people use the Internet.
Even though AI has become more energy efficient, it still consumes significantly more electricity than traditional research.
The growing adoption of AI has outpaced potential improvements in energy efficiency.
It is a serious competitor to Google, which was threatened with selling its Chrome browser after a US court ruled its search business constituted an illegal monopoly.
Just the beginning
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said: “There is much more to add. This project is in its early stages.”
Google has been contacted for comment.