OpenAI announced on Tuesday the launch of its new web browser, Atlas, which positions the ChatGPT creator in direct competition with Google as more users turn to artificial intelligence for information. By becoming a primary gateway for online searches, OpenAI aims to attract increased internet traffic and generate revenue through digital advertising.
Despite having over 800 million users for ChatGPT, many of them utilize the service for free. The San Francisco-based company is currently operating at a loss and is exploring strategies to become profitable.
Atlas will initially be available on Apple laptops running macOS, with plans for future expansion to Microsoft’s Windows, Apple’s iOS, and Google’s Android systems. This move comes shortly after an OpenAI executive expressed interest in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser in response to antitrust concerns, a scenario that was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who noted the evolving landscape of the AI industry.
OpenAI’s browser faces a significant challenge against Chrome, which boasts approximately three billion users worldwide and has integrated AI features from Google’s Gemini technology. Chrome’s success story could serve as a model for OpenAI’s entry into the browser market, reminiscent of how Chrome disrupted the dominance of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer in 2008.
In a parallel development, Perplexity, another AI startup, launched its Comet browser earlier this year and also pursued acquiring Chrome, submitting a $34.5 billion bid that was thwarted by the decision against a Google breakup.
With the emergence of new AI-driven browsers like Atlas and Comet, the tech industry is witnessing a shift in the competitive dynamics of web browsing, ushering in a new era of innovation and market disruption.