OpenAI, a leader in AI applications, has unveiled its first fully AI-driven web browser, ChatGPT Atlas. This launch signifies a pivotal moment in the internet era, as it intertwines the browsing experience with AI, positioning the browser as a crucial aspect of future technology iterations. The company, valued at $500 billion, is set to engage in intense competition with tech giant Google (GOOGL.US) in the AI and search engine arenas. ChatGPT Atlas aims to offer a more personalized web experience, representing users in tasks such as booking flights and editing documents. When users access a website, they will see an option to "Ask ChatGPT," bringing up a sidebar for synchronized and in-depth AI interactions with the page content. For example, users can read a lengthy movie review and ask ChatGPT for a summary or find a recipe and let ChatGPT help order the necessary ingredients according to personal taste.
"This is a fully AI-driven web browser built around ChatGPT," said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during a live broadcast on Tuesday. He emphasized that AI represents a rare, once-in-a-decade technological opportunity that can reshape how browsers are utilized. Initially, ChatGPT Atlas will launch globally on macOS, with plans to swiftly expand to Windows, iOS, and Android systems. Advanced AI agent features are currently available only to paying ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Pro users. Under the "AI agent mode," ChatGPT can perform complex tasks for users, including launching a Python platform for deep programming or handling intricate operations and simulations.
During the live event, the project lead for ChatGPT Atlas noted that the browser has transformed the way people work, and he believes the emergence of ChatGPT signifies a similar technological revolution. OpenAI joins the ranks of AI startups reimagining web browsers, creating a product that stands as a significant milestone since the internet's inception in the 1990s. Another competitor in the search engine market, AI startup Perplexity AI Inc., recently launched Comet, an AI browser intended to serve as a digital personal assistant that automates tedious tasks.
Additionally, Opera and The Browser Company are planning to integrate stronger AI capabilities into their browsers. In response to OpenAI's browser announcement, Google's shares faced pressure, dropping as much as 4.8% during Tuesday's trading session. Earlier in September, Google had integrated its Gemini AI large model into the Chrome search browser, allowing AI to respond to various requests, provide deep explanations of accessed pages, extract information across multiple tabs, and quickly retrieve previously closed websites. This move came just two weeks after a U.S. judge rejected a government proposal to force Google to divest its Chrome browser.
Executives from Perplexity and OpenAI expressed interest in acquiring Chrome if Google were required to divest. Recent reports indicate that Anthropic, an AI startup dubbed as a rival to OpenAI, is negotiating with Google for a cloud service agreement worth billions of dollars. This potential deal would provide large-scale computing support for Anthropic's Claude, solidifying Google and Anthropic's long-term partnership. Google has previously invested about $3 billion in Anthropic, offering traditional cloud computing and AI resources. Anthropic's primary investors also include Amazon, which similarly provides cloud computing support.
With the launch of ChatGPT Atlas, OpenAI effectively transitions the browser from the internet era to an "AI-native era," where AI applications are no longer mere plugins but are integrated into the core functionality of browsing. In this new era, AI features will be embedded as default elements alongside every webpage, allowing users to interact effortlessly. The shift marks a transformation from an "information window" to an "action workstation." OpenAI's initiative to embed generative AI applications and agents into the browser coincides with Google's efforts to integrate its Gemini AI model into Chrome. Multiple AI startups focusing on "AI + search," such as Perplexity and Opera, are also progressing, striving to evolve their browsers into personalized AI assistants. The introduction of Atlas undoubtedly mainstreams and systematizes the trend of AI browsers.
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