On October 21st, local time, OpenAI officially launched ChatGPT Atlas, its first AI-powered web browser, directly challenging Google's core business. In response to this news, the stock price of Google's parent company, Alphabet, plummeted during trading that day, with intraday losses extending to nearly 5% at one point, hitting a low of $245. The stock ultimately closed down 2.21%, with trading volume increasing 30% compared to the previous day.
Google stock price performance
ChatGPT Atlas is OpenAI's first entry into the core Internet entry track with an independent browser product. Its core innovation lies in the deep integration of ChatGPT's intelligent capabilities with browsing scenarios, reconstructing the interaction logic of traditional browsers.
Currently, ChatGPT Atlas is available on the macOS platform, and Windows, iOS, and Android versions are planned to be launched later. Users can log in with their ChatGPT account and import Chrome's bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history with one click, greatly reducing migration costs.
ChatGPT Atlas interface
ChatGPT Atlas isn't simply an AI-powered browser add-on; it deeply integrates ChatGPT into the entire browsing process. Built on the Chromium core, the browser retains traditional features like tabs and bookmarks, while distinguishing itself through three core features: "On-the-Go Chat," "Browser Memory," and "Proxy Mode." Users can access ChatGPT anytime through a persistent sidebar, without switching pages. ChatGPT generates instant summaries when browsing news and automatically compares product specifications when viewing product pages. Furthermore, users can use the "Cursor Chat" feature to directly select email text and instruct AI to edit it, seamlessly replacing the traditional tedious copy-and-paste process.
The biggest highlight of ChatGPT Atlas is its "Agent Mode." After obtaining user authorization, the browser can autonomously execute multi-step network operations based on browsing history and query intent. From automatically clicking to close pop-up windows to filling out application forms, booking flights, and simultaneously generating itineraries, AI will provide real-time pop-ups explaining the thinking and execution process. Key steps require user confirmation before progressing.
According to StatCounter data from September 2025, Chrome holds a 71.86% global market share, making it the undisputed leader in the global browser market and supporting Google's hundreds of billions of dollars in annual advertising revenue. In the second quarter of 2025, Google's advertising revenue reached $71.34 billion, accounting for 86% of its total revenue.
The emergence of ChatGPT Atlas has intensified competition in the AI browser market. On the one hand, Google Chrome's built-in Gemini large-scale model has established a strong competitive advantage, and this year has introduced features such as webpage interpretation and information extraction, accelerating its pursuit of task automation capabilities. On the other hand, the AI browser market also has emerging players like Perplexity's Comet, which focuses on AI search summarization but still lacks the ability to execute complex tasks. Products like Opera's Neon have repositioned themselves by embedding AI capabilities, but none have achieved widespread impact.
Compared to these competing products, ChatGPT Atlas' core advantage lies in its deep integration of ChatGPT's generative capabilities with its "execution properties." Its 800 million user base provides a natural conversion pool. Analysts believe that OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT Atlas could weaken Chrome's long-term advantage and usher in a new era of competition among AI agents on the web.
This article is from " Jiemian News ", author: Li Kefeng, published by 36Kr with authorization.
