Atlas joins the AI browser crowd
Atlas from OpenAI is the latest to join the brewing AI browser war, alongside Perplexity’s Comet, The Browser Company’s Dia (purchased by Atlassian), and Opera’s Neon. Like most AI-first browsers, it’s a Chrome-like browser with a persistent chat sidebar.
Is Atlas useful?
MIT Technology Review argues it’s anything but useful and can even slow things down. Author Mat Honan tested Atlas on Amazon with an Atlas-suggested pre-set cart prompt. It suggested items he’d already purchased or previously rejected, and the agent took about ten minutes—hardly helpful.
Amanda at Tom’s Guide was impressed but not convinced to ditch Chrome. It’s the assistant she didn’t ask for. It could be a win for “students, researchers or anyone dealing with information overload.” For the rest of us, it can feel like an over-eager assistant you don’t need.
I’m watching this space closely because browsers are fundamental to how we navigate online. None of these changes are trivial. They could shape future online habits and even redefine what a website is.