OpenAI has unveiled a new AI-powered browser that offers a glimpse into the future of web browsing and online shopping with AI agents.
On Tuesday, the company behind ChatGPT introduced Atlas, a browser built around the chatbot, currently available only on macOS for paying users.
Atlas comes with several innovative features, including browser memories, which allow ChatGPT to retain context from the sites users visit. However, the standout feature is agent mode.
In agent mode, Atlas can research, analyze information, and automate tasks in real time while users continue browsing. It can even open tabs and navigate websites to complete tasks on behalf of users, according to OpenAI.
“It’s now better at researching and analyzing, automating tasks, and planning events or booking appointments while you browse.”
In-browser personal assistant
Atlas’ agent mode functions like a personal assistant built directly into the browser.
Users can automate complex tasks—for example, planning a dinner party—by having the AI agent find a recipe, locate stores with the required ingredients, add them to a shopping cart, and arrange delivery.
Built-in safety measures
Atlas includes multiple safety features: it cannot run code in the browser, download files, or install extensions. It also cannot access other apps or the file system on users’ computers and will pause before taking actions on sensitive sites, such as those of financial institutions.
A glimpse into the future of agentic AI
OpenAI’s browser offers an early look at a future where agentic AI is integrated directly into technology, with blockchain potentially amplifying its capabilities even further.
“We’ve entered the era of AI agents,” said Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s chief communication officer, earlier this year.
“This emerging vision of the internet is an open agentic web, where AI agents make decisions and perform tasks on behalf of users or organizations,” he added.
The concept of AI-driven, autonomous systems—sometimes referred to as “agentic commerce”—was recently highlighted at the Fed’s Payment Innovation Conference, where speakers including ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood, Coinbase CFO Alesia Haas, and Google Cloud strategy head Richard Widmann discussed the potential of AI agents to power autonomous payment systems.
