OpenAI has launched its AI-powered ChatGPT Atlas browser to take on Google Chrome, which has been the most dominant player in the browser space over the years. While Chrome has had multiple competitors along the way, the playing field is now shifting from traditional browsers to AI-enabled alternatives.
Google has fought a similar battle in the search arena where it has rolled out AI-enabled features like AI Overviews and AI Mode in order to keep Google Search tenable in the age of multiple AI-first search providers.
The company has been adding some AI features to Chrome but it is nowhere close to having a full-on Gemini-focused browser at the moment like OpenAI has with Atlas.
So how does Atlas differentiate itself from Chrome? Let’s find out here.
Chrome vs Atlas: What’s different?
1) AI-first approach:
ChatGPT is baked into the user experience of Atlas, where users can bring in their past memories of the chatbot to make the browsing experience more personalized. The chatbot also gives suggestions and can answer more tailored questions as it gets more history about usage patterns.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT rides along with the user in the sidebar, which means users can tap into the chatbot on any webpage for help like summarizing pages, comparing products, rewriting text, and more.
2) No more search engine:
OpenAI has also eliminated the address bar that houses the search engine on Chrome by once again placing ChatGPT at the center of the experience. When users navigate to the address bar to search for something, their searches are routed via ChatGPT search, which has been worked on to make it appear more like a traditional search engine while having the goodness of AI.
3) Agentic tasks:
Not only is ChatGPT at the front and center of the experience with Atlas, it can also do tasks on behalf of the user with the new browser. Atlas features an Agent Mode which, predictably, is tucked behind a paywall. But for those users having a Pro, Plus, or Enterprise account, they can get ChatGPT to do multi-step tasks. In its demo, OpenAI showed that ChatGPT can locate a recipe online and then add all the ingredients to a shopping cart on Instacart.
4) Better for content creation:
Atlas comes with a new in-line editing feature which basically means that users see a small ChatGPT logo when they type text in Gmail, Google Docs, or an online form. Clicking on the logo, users can give custom instructions to alter the text as they would to ChatGPT normally. The new method, however, saves the hassle of copying, pasting, and opening different tabs on the browser, in turn saving some time for the users.
5) Availability:
Atlas is based on Chromium, meaning users should be able to seamlessly share their bookmarks, history, and other details from Chrome to the ChatGPT-powered browser. However, unlike Chrome, which is available on all major platforms, Atlas is only available on Mac for now.
