OpenAI’s New Browser War; Google’s College Developer Play

Before we get to today’s column, we’d be remiss not to mention OpenAI’s release on Tuesday of its new web browser, news of which we first scooped almost a year ago. 

The new browser, ChatGPT Atlas, is yet another example of OpenAI expanding its reach into consumers’ online lives, just as other tech incumbents such as Google and Apple have done. Among Atlas’s features: the ability to remember users’ browsing history to help them continue past searches, reference already-closed tabs and remember which stores they prefer when ordering groceries or clothing.

The browser overall seems like a solid product, but other than the memory features, there wasn’t anything that necessarily blew our minds. (Some users pointed out similarities between ChatGPT Atlas and Comet, the browser search engine Perplexity first released in July.) 

And already, some users have called out shortcomings. For instance, thanks to ChatGPT’s safety guardrails, users are prevented from being able to look up videos of Adolf Hitler, something that a normal browser or search engine would allow you to do.