OpenAI launches ChatGPT Atlas: a Chromium-based browser with built-in AI agent

OpenAI has just launched ChatGPT Atlas, a new AI browser that embeds ChatGPT into the core of navigation, search, and page help. Atlas is available now for Free, Plus, Pro and Go users, with commercial beta and Enterprise/Education opt-ins available; Windows, iOS and Android versions are “coming soon”.

What is ChatGPT Atlas?

Atlas is a Chromium-based browser that maintains a persistent ChatGPT interface in new tabs and as an “Ask ChatGPT” sidebar on any website. Users can summarize pages, compare products, extract data and edit text in-place (cursor-level assistance in form fields). Atlas also introduces optional “Browser Memories” that retain privacy-filtered summaries of pages you’ve visited to provide personalized help later.

Preview “Agent Mode” Let ChatGPT perform actions in your browser: open tabs, click and complete multi-step tasks (e.g. research + shop) with explicit user approval checkpoints. The proxy operates with hard boundaries: it cannot run code in the browser, download files, install extensions, access the file system, or read saved passwords/autofill; pages it visits in proxy mode are not added to history.

Mainly publish facts

• Engine and base: Atlas is “built on Chromium.”
• Platforms: macOS (Apple Silicon, macOS 12+) first, with other platforms planned.
• Import: Passwords, bookmarks and history can be imported from other browsers.
• Privacy Defaults: What you are viewing is no for training models unless you opt in; a separate toggle (“Help improve browsing and searching”) to share diagnostic information, and exist By default. Incognito mode logs you out of ChatGPT; logged out chat history will be kept separately for 30 days to prevent abuse.

How Atlas compares to Google Chrome

What’s better than Chrome (as of now)?

• Native AI agents and sidebars:ChatGPT is top notch. Sidebar and live editing work on any page; proxy mode can perform tasks across tabs using user-visible controls. Chrome requires an add-on or external application to achieve equivalent proxy behavior.
• New task-focused tabs and unified results: Atlas’s new tab mixes chat with search links, images, videos, and news, reducing context switching.
• Browser memory (optional): Privacy-filtered, time-limited summaries to improve future help; on-device summaries available on newer macOS versions. Chrome lacks equivalent functionality integrated with the conversation model.
• Clear records in the agent security column: Explicit prohibitions (no code execution, no file downloads, no extension installation, no password/autofill access) and “logout” proxy mode reduce the scope of impact when delegating tasks. Chrome does not have a built-in web proxy that requires such guardrails.

How is it similar to Chrome??

• Rendering stack and core user experience: Atlas is based on Chromium, inheriting modern web compatibility, tabbed browsing, password/key manager, and familiar settings/menus; bookmarks and data import mirror Chromium conventions.
• stealth semantics: Private window excludes activity from history and ChatGPT account context (Atlas logs you out in incognito mode), similar to Chrome’s private mode separation.

What’s worse than Chrome (at launch)?

• Platform coverage: Atlas currently only supports macOS; Chrome is cross-platform (desktop/mobile). Atlas for Windows/iOS/Android is planned but not shipped yet.
• Enterprise maturity: Business is in beta; enterprise/education requires administrator support. Chrome has had enterprise controls for a long time.
• Extension/Development Tools Posture:Documentation is correct no To state Chrome Web Store compatibility, Atlas’ agent explicitly cannot install extensions. OpenAI lists “improved developer tools” on its roadmap, indicating an equal gap with Chrome’s mature developer tools ecosystem. Treat extended support as unconfirmed at launch.
• Telemetry defaults: The “Help improve browsing and searching” diagnostic is enabled by default (separate from opt-in training). Chrome also collects diagnostic information by default, but the Atlas setting is a new interface that the team must review.

ChatGPT Atlas meaningfully upgrades the browser into an AI-native workspace: the persistent ChatGPT interface (new tabs, sidebar, live editing) reduces context switches for summarization, comparison, and extraction; preview agent mode coordinates multi-step tasks across tabs; and records optional browser memory and clear data control (training selection is off; diagnostics toggles are on).

• OK: Chromium-level compatibility and easy migration (import passwords, bookmarks, history) and clear security boundaries for proxies.
• Bad: macOS only at launch, extension/dev tool parity with Chrome remains unspecified, and agents can’t install extensions or download files, limiting automation scope compared to Chrome’s advanced ecosystem.