Is OpenAI’s Atlas the Web Tour Guide We Actually Need?
▼ Summary
– Atlas browser centers AI answers over traditional web links by making every click a ChatGPT interaction instead of navigating to new web pages.
– The Ask ChatGPT sidebar can analyze and summarize content from any webpage on your screen, demonstrated by summarizing GitHub code during the announcement.
– Ask ChatGPT is free to use in Atlas, while the agent mode for tasks like online shopping requires a ChatGPT Plus/Pro subscription.
– Built on Chromium, Atlas resembles Chrome and is currently macOS-only, with planned features like tab groups and ad-blocker for future development.
– The reviewer found the Ask ChatGPT sidebar clunky, difficult to adapt to, and problematic for webpage layout as it compresses content and made sites appear distorted.
OpenAI’s new Atlas browser flips the script on traditional web surfing by placing AI-powered assistance front and center. Instead of navigating through endless links, users interact directly with ChatGPT for answers and tasks. Each click in Atlas transforms into an opportunity to engage with artificial intelligence rather than exploring new websites.
Typing a question into the address bar immediately converts it into a ChatGPT query. For help understanding webpage content, the Ask ChatGPT sidebar can read and interpret whatever is displayed on your screen. Need to purchase a Halloween costume? Activating “agent mode” allows the AI to browse Amazon and add vampire fangs to your shopping cart automatically.
During Atlas’s livestream unveiling, lead designer Ryan O’Rouke showcased the Ask ChatGPT functionality. He demonstrated how it could summarize complex GitHub code visible in the browser window. O’Rouke described this capability as “a major unlock” since ChatGPT now perceives and processes real-time webpage content. He explained, “It’s basically you inviting ChatGPT into your corner of the internet.”
The Ask ChatGPT tool remains free for all Atlas users, contrasting with the browser agent feature that requires ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscriptions. This AI assistant appears as a narrow column on the right side of the screen, similar to the AI sidebars found in Perplexity’s Comet browser and Microsoft Edge.
After several days of testing Atlas’s AI features, many users might find themselves preferring to browse the web without constant AI companionship. The persistent sidebar can become distracting rather than helpful during routine internet sessions.
Built on Chromium, the open-source foundation powering Google Chrome, Opera, and other browsers, Atlas bears strong resemblance to its predecessors. Testers frequently confuse Atlas with Chrome when switching between them, highlighting their visual similarity. The browser currently remains in early development with promised enhancements like tab grouping and built-in ad blocking that could eventually make it a formidable Chrome alternative. Presently, Atlas is exclusively available for macOS systems.
The Ask ChatGPT sidebar initially feels awkward during early usage. Beyond the adjustment period, users often struggle to formulate relevant questions about news articles, cooking recipes, or other content they encounter. Additionally, the sidebar compresses the main viewing area, causing websites to appear narrower than normal. This compression effect made the WIRED homepage display with noticeable layout issues during testing.
(Source: Wired)
