OpenAI has entered the web browser wars and it’s fair to say it’s got the digital industry buzzing.
Available initially on MacOS, Atlas allows users to summarise content, compare products, analyse data from any site — and even interact with web pages directly, adding items to a shopping basket or booking trips. OpenAI also announced an optional agent mode that lets ChatGPT perform searches autonomously for paying subscribers, alongside partnerships with e-commerce and travel giants including Etsy, Shopify, Expedia and Booking.com.
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While some analysts remain sceptical that Atlas will unseat Google’s dominant Chrome browser, others see the launch as a pivotal moment in the evolution of how people discover and interact with information online.
We asked some of the North’s best digital brains when they thought. Here’s what they had to say…
“Google’s monopoly on search will be chipped away at”
Jessica Atkinson, Organic Search Director at Embryo, said “OpenAI has changed the game YET AGAIN in search with the announcement of ChatGPT Atlas. It’s some sort of browser, AI assistant, and search engine hybrid and I am here for it!”
In a post on LinkedIn, she said: “You can use it to summarise content, compare products and analyse data from any website you’re using and you can even get it to interact with the site you’re viewing for you. It will literally put items in your basket — MIND BLOWN 🤯
“Atlas is turning every website into a data source for an AI-driven journey, which means Google’s monopoly on search will continue to be chipped away at, and we’re watching the start of a new ecosystem.
“My initial thoughts are SEO is going to be as important as ever, tech is going to come back into the forefront (if the AI can’t search products on-site, you’ll miss out) and your share of search is the key metric we should all be striving for. The implications of this are going to be massive, and I’m not 100% sure of what they are, but I know I’m excited to get playing with it today!”
“Browsers are becoming the new consumer operating system battleground”
Leigh Gammons, CEO at Tangent, told Prolific North: “Many people are predicting the downfall of Google as a consequence of this — their stock price certainly took a hammering yesterday — however it has already recovered to the share price of a week ago.
“I think this is because people realise there is a long race still to go on this and the addressable market they are tussling over is growing in its own right.
“For me, we are seeing browsers becoming the new consumer operating system battleground. Traditionally consumers went to the web to search, now they are going to browsers to solve. If ChatGPT becomes the default homepage through Atlas, then it almost certainly will impact Google’s $250bn search business. The wider numbers are staggering — currently 4bn Chrome users out there and 800m ChatGPT users. How many will switch, stick or continue to run both will be fascinating to watch.”
“AI isn’t just a tool anymore – it’s becoming the interface”
Rich Jones, Head of Exchange at Department Campfield, said the move “blurs the line between search and conversation.” “OpenAI entering the browser space is a major move,” he warned. “For founders and digital creatives, it’s another signal that AI isn’t just a tool anymore, it’s becoming the interface.
:The real opportunity will be for those who can adapt fastest to this new way users discover and interact with information.”
“A new surface for advertisers – and a data play”
Malcolm Slade, Performance Director at HUB, noted that Atlas could reshape OpenAI’s revenue model while opening a new frontier for advertisers. “Until this announcement, I was struggling to see how ChatGPT would realistically compete with a fully Gemini-powered Google and the unmatched volumes of data and revenue they gain from Chrome and Android.
This feels like a first step towards expanding both OpenAI’s revenue through ad placements and data from the ‘general public’ who might not currently be using ChatGPT, Copilot etc. For the performance marketing industry, it potentially opens up another surface to advertise on if they include in-browser ads.”
“A huge opportunity to make online engagement more personal and inclusive”
Denise Harris, Chief Creative Officer at Sum Vivas, said Atlas signals a shift toward a more human, conversational web. “OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT Atlas signals a major step toward the browser becoming an active participant rather than a passive tool. For us at Sum Vivas, where we create AI-integrated Digital Humans for customer engagement and accessibility, this could redefine how people interact online.
“If the browser itself can hold a conversation, remember context, and act on a user’s behalf, then Digital Humans could live within that experience — guiding, supporting, and translating in real time as people browse.
“It’s a huge opportunity to make online engagement more personal and inclusive, but it also raises vital questions around data, transparency, and ethics. As AI becomes woven into the very fabric of the web, our industry must focus on designing experiences that feel human-centred, trustworthy, and accessible to all.
“For Sum Vivas, that’s the future we’re already building toward.”
