KATHMANDU: OpenAI on Tuesday unveiled ChatGPT Atlas, an anticipated AI browser that poses a direct challenge to the market dominance of Google Chrome.

Leveraging its base of over 800 million weekly active ChatGPT users, OpenAI aims to accelerate the shift toward AI-driven search, a move that intensified competition and saw shares of Alphabet (Google’s parent company) drop by 1.8%.

Atlas distinguishes itself by integrating ChatGPT deep into the browsing experience.

Key features include an integrated sidebar for quick summaries and analysis and an “agent mode” for paid users, which enables the AI to perform end-to-end tasks on the user’s behalf, such as automating online shopping.

The browser is currently available on Apple’s macOS, with Windows, iOS, and Android versions planned soon.

Despite the threat to its estimated 71.9% market share, Google has responded by integrating its Gemini AI model into Chrome.

Analysts view Atlas as a crucial step for OpenAI to develop an advertising business, noting that by embedding chat directly into the browser, the company gains the necessary control to start selling ads and directly challenge Google’s commanding share of the search advertising market.