OpenAI has just launched Atlas, its own web browser. The idea is not simply to offer a competitor to Chrome or Safari, but to rethink the way we explore and use the web.
Rather than navigating from site to site, tab after tab, Atlas offers a built-in assistant—an AI that understands what you're doing, remembers what you've already viewed, and can help you find or summarize information when you need it.
Smarter navigation, but above all more contextual
The big new feature in Atlas is its memory. The browser remembers your searches and what you've read, and can link topics together.
In practical terms, this means that if you read several articles on the same topic last week, you can simply ask:
“Show me what I have already viewed on the topic of energy transition.”
And AI brings up all the relevant pages, with a summary, key points, and even comparisons.
It's a much more natural approach to searching for information: rather than digging through your history or reopening twenty tabs, you interact with the browser as if it were an assistant who knows your habits and needs.
What I really like so far
One point seems particularly interesting at this stage:
- Search your own internet history.
This is undoubtedly the most promising feature: instead of searching the entire web, you can search what you have already seen. This provides real continuity in your work, consistency in your monitoring, and avoids having to start from scratch every time.
In short, your own browsing becomes a personal knowledge base.
Areas for improvement, to make it a true work companion
Atlas is still a young tool, with some areas for improvement.
First, it is only available on macOS, which limits its adoption when many people work on Windows or on the go. Second, its AI agent—which is supposed to perform tasks for us—sometimes lacks stability and speed, making some automations hesitant.
There is also a lack of transparency regarding memory: it would be useful to better understand what data is retained, how to delete it, and how to manage confidentiality, especially for those who handle sensitive information.
On a practical level, the classic features of a browser (extensions, profiles, seamless synchronization) could be improved so that it can truly be adopted for everyday use.
Finally, two major issues remain: security, particularly with regard to the automatic execution of certain commands by AI, and the quality of AI searches, which are sometimes too far removed from factual results or traditional sources.
A tool that is still young, but promising
Atlas is still in its early stages—for now, it is only available on Mac, and not everything is perfect yet.
There are still issues with privacy, data storage, and ease of use. But the concept is interesting: a browser that remembers, learns, and helps you think.
This is not a gimmick or a marketing revolution: it is a logical step in the evolution of OpenAI's tools toward a more comprehensive, global vision of their everyday uses.
Pierre SAAL
Who am I? An audiovisual trainer with in-depth expertise in the application of artificial intelligence to image, video, and sound production.
Using the latest generative AI tools, he helps professionals perfect their mastery of these new technologies through training courses and organizes workshops aimed at revealing their creative potential for innovative projects.