OpenAI is retiring Atlas, the AI-powered web browser it introduced in October with ChatGPT at its core.
Instead of continuing to develop a standalone browser, the company is moving many of Atlas’ AI browsing capabilities into the ChatGPT desktop app and a new Google Chrome extension.
The decision follows an internal shift in priorities after OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, Fidji Simo, reportedly encouraged teams to reduce work on side projects. That strategy has already led to the company discontinuing its AI video-generation tool, Sora, and now Atlas is also being phased out.
Over the past year, several AI companies have tried to challenge Google Chrome by building AI-first browsers. Perplexity launched Comet, The Browser Company introduced Dia, while Google and Microsoft added more AI features to Chrome and Edge. After testing its own approach, OpenAI appears to have concluded that users prefer AI assistance within the browsers and apps they already use rather than switching to a completely new browser.
As part of the transition, OpenAI is launching a ChatGPT extension for Google Chrome. The extension can understand the content of the webpage currently being viewed, allowing users to ask questions, summarize articles, and perform longer AI-assisted tasks without leaving the browser. The feature directly competes with Google’s Gemini Side Panel, which offers similar capabilities.
OpenAI is also expanding the ChatGPT desktop app with a more capable built-in browser. Users will be able to browse websites, sign in to online accounts, download files, and interact with web pages without leaving ChatGPT. In addition, a cloud-based browser running on OpenAI’s servers will let AI agents complete web tasks on a user’s behalf remotely.
With these updates, OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into a unified AI workspace that connects Google Chrome, the desktop application, and AI agents, allowing users to browse the web and complete tasks across multiple environments without relying on a separate browser.
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OpenAI Shuts Down Atlas Browser, Brings AI Browsing Features to ChatGPT and Chrome
