OpenAI has officially unveiled ChatGPT Atlas, a web browser that integrates its AI assistant into every part of the online experience. Announced on October 21, 2025, Atlas signals the company’s move to directly compete with popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, and Mozilla Firefox.
Atlas is not just a standard Chromium-based browser. It revolves around a persistent AI-powered sidebar that stays active while users browse, helping to summarise, translate, explain, and compare content instantly. Whether someone is shopping, researching, or reading news, the assistant provides guidance without forcing users to switch between tabs.
A key addition is Browser Memory, an opt-in feature that keeps track of a user’s browsing activity in an AI-accessible format.
Users can ask questions like, “What articles did I read last week?” or “Summarise the research pages I visited yesterday,” receiving context-aware answers. OpenAI ensures that users have complete control over this data, allowing them to delete, archive, or disable memories at any moment.
Another notable innovation is Agent Mode, which allows ChatGPT to actively navigate web pages under user supervision. This feature, currently available to premium users, can open links, fill out forms, and collect information automatically.
Early users have employed it to plan trips, gather research, and perform basic online purchases. OpenAI notes that Agent Mode remains “read-only” on sensitive pages such as banking sites or platforms running executable code.
“We’ve reached a point where people no longer want to browse passively,” said Mira Tannen, OpenAI’s Director of Product. “They want to delegate, to synthesise, to act. Atlas is about giving users that capability, on their terms.”
OpenAI sees Atlas as a way to transform web browsing from a passive activity into an interactive and intelligent experience.
For years, Chrome has been the default gateway to the internet, but Atlas aims to make the browser itself a smart assistant that helps users understand, organise, and act on information in real time.
The browser is now available in beta on macOS for all ChatGPT subscriptions — Free, Plus, Pro, Go, and Business. Versions for Windows, iOS, and Android are in development and expected to launch in the coming months.
OpenAI has also promised future upgrades, including better support for multiple user profiles, improved web development tools, and tighter integration with the broader ChatGPT app ecosystem.
