Published Date : 22/10/2025
OpenAI announced on Tuesday the introduction of its own web browser, Atlas, positioning the ChatGPT maker in direct competition with Google. This move comes as more internet users rely on artificial intelligence to answer their questions and navigate the web.
Atlas is designed to be a gateway to online searches, which could allow OpenAI to attract more internet traffic and the revenue that comes from digital advertising. OpenAI, based in San Francisco, is the world's most valuable startup and is known for its popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, which already boasts over 800 million users. However, many of these users access ChatGPT for free, and the company is currently losing more money than it makes, prompting a search for profitable avenues.
Atlas will initially launch on Apple laptops running macOS and will later be available on Microsoft's Windows, Apple's iOS, and Google's Android operating systems. This strategic rollout aims to capture a broad user base and establish a foothold in the competitive browser market.
The announcement of Atlas comes a few months after an OpenAI executive testified that the company would be interested in buying Google's Chrome browser if a federal judge had required it to be sold to prevent the abuses that led to Google's search engine being declared an illegal monopoly. However, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta rejected the Chrome sale sought by the U.S. Justice Department, citing the belief that advances in the AI industry are already reshaping the competitive landscape.
OpenAI's entry into the browser market is a daunting challenge, given Chrome's massive global user base of about three billion people. Chrome has been adding AI features from Google's Gemini technology, further solidifying its position. Despite this, OpenAI's browser could follow a similar path to Chrome's success. When Google launched Chrome in 2008, Microsoft's Internet Explorer was the dominant browser, and few believed a new browser could pose a significant threat. However, Chrome quickly gained popularity by loading webpages faster and offering superior user experiences, eventually leading Microsoft to abandon Explorer in favor of its Edge browser, which operates similarly to Chrome.
Perplexity, another AI startup, launched its own Comet browser earlier this year and also expressed interest in buying Chrome. They even submitted an unsolicited $34.5 billion offer, which ultimately fell through when Judge Mehta decided against a Google breakup.
OpenAI's Atlas browser aims to leverage the company's expertise in AI to provide a more intuitive and efficient browsing experience. As more users turn to AI for their online needs, Atlas could become a valuable tool for both consumers and businesses, potentially disrupting the current browser landscape and opening new opportunities for OpenAI to turn a profit.
Q: What is OpenAI's new web browser called?
A: OpenAI's new web browser is called Atlas.
Q: Why is OpenAI launching its own web browser?
A: OpenAI is launching Atlas to compete with Google Chrome and to capitalize on the growing reliance on AI for online searches, which could help the company generate revenue from digital advertising.
Q: When and where is Atlas launching?
A: Atlas is launching on Tuesday, initially on Apple laptops running macOS. It will later be available on Microsoft's Windows, Apple's iOS, and Google's Android operating systems.
Q: How many users does ChatGPT have?
A: ChatGPT already has over 800 million users.
Q: What other AI startup launched a browser this year?
A: Perplexity, another AI startup, launched its own browser called Comet earlier this year.