ChatGPT Atlas is here and it goes against Google Chrome and Perplexity Comet: 5 things to know about OpenAI's new browser

Atlas is rolling out globally on macOS for Free, Plus, Pro and Go users, with availability for Business (beta) and support for Enterprise and Edu if administrators enable it. Windows, iOS and Android builds are in development.

A browser with ChatGPT built in, not added on
Atlas is designed around ChatGPT as its core interface. A new-tab page serves as both the chat window and an entry for URLs and searches. Users can shift between AI answers and conventional search results across categories like links, images, videos and news within the same surface. Instead of thinking of the browser and AI as two separate tools, Atlas integrates them so that AI can respond to whatever is on-screen without context-switching.

Browser memories and control over what is visible to ChatGPT
A core design element is browser memories — optional, user-controlled records of key context from sites visited that can flow back into future chats. They allow recall-type queries such as, “summarise the job postings I checked last week,” without a user re-supplying links.
Visibility controls are placed in the address bar. Users can disable page visibility for specific sites, clear single pages, wipe full history, or browse in incognito. Clearing browsing history also removes linked memories. Parental controls and administrative controls propagate to Atlas.
By default, browsing content is not used for model training. Users may opt-in, and training exclusions for sites that block GPTBot still apply.

Agent mode now runs natively inside the browser
Agent mode — previously introduced in ChatGPT — has been adapted to run with page context inside Atlas. The agent can research, open tabs, click, extract data, structure results and in supported cases interact with services such as Instacart to complete tasks like building carts from recipes. The feature is in preview for Plus, Pro and Business users.
OpenAI notes that the agent pauses on sensitive surfaces such as financial sites and cannot run code, install extensions, or access files outside the browser. It can operate while logged out to reduce the surface of sensitive exposure. The system card cautions that agentic systems can still be misled by hidden malicious instructions embedded inside webpages or emails, and users are advised to monitor actions.

Signals for the browser future
Atlas marks an inflection toward agentic navigation, where the browser is not only a viewport but an execution layer for structured tasks. In this model, search, recall, reasoning and automation live at the same height as the URL bar rather than downstream of screenshots or copy-paste. OpenAI frames this launch as a step toward a future in which a majority of web usage is mediated by AI agents that watch context and act on intent, while keeping safeguards and user control in the foreground.