The modern AI race began quietly, with models simply predicting the next word.
Everything shifted in late 2022 when OpenAI released ChatGPT, a moment that jolted the tech world and ignited what became known as the LLM war. The launch shook Silicon Valley, especially Google, which had long dominated how people searched and learned online.
It rushed out Bard and later Gemini, trying to keep pace.
But when OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT Atlas, a browser with the chatbot woven into it, the balance trembled again.
Overnight, Google’s confidence slipped and its market value plunged by $100 billion.
Now, a few weeks after officially launched its AI-infused Mac browser, OpenAI releases a huge update to Atlas, showing how quickly the project is maturing.
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Atlas began as an experimental tool inside Sky, a small team focused on productivity.
OpenAI has evolved into a Chromium-based browser built around the idea that ChatGPT should sit right beside users' tabs rather than in a separate app. After OpenAI acquired Sky and folded the developers into its product group, Atlas began shifting into something that feels increasingly native to macOS. Each new version narrows the gap between a promising idea and a browser that Apple users could adopt for everyday work.
This time, the update introduces nine features that fix early limitations and bring Atlas closer to what many expect from a modern browser. They include:
- Apple iCloud Passkey support: Atlas now works with Apple’s passkeys stored in iCloud Keychain. Sites that support passkey login let users authenticate through Touch ID without typing passwords.
- Google as the default search engine: Users can now switch the address bar to Google instead of relying on AI results or lesser known engines.
- Vertical Tabs: This is the highlight. Atlas finally adds a vertical tab layout that solves the classic issue of crowded horizontal tabs. A sidebar shows full titles, clear icons, and offers smooth rearranging. It matches the multitasking behavior Mac users expect and removes the cramped feeling once users pass 15 or more tabs.
- Multiple Tab Selection: Select several tabs at once using Shift or Cmd. Users can close the group, move them, or toss them into a new window.
- Control + Tab MRU Switching: Atlas can now switch between tabs based on most recently used order, similar to macOS app switching.
- Updated downloads interface: The downloads menu now looks cleaner and works more like Safari or Chrome, with previews and clearer status indicators.
- Faster ChatGPT responses with browser memories: Responses in the sidebar are noticeably quicker when Browser Memories are on, reducing repeat processing.
- Insert button in sidebar: A new Insert button pushes ChatGPT’s output straight into whatever text field users' are working in, no manual copy and paste needed.
- Chrome Extension Import: New Atlas installations automatically import Chrome extensions from an existing profile, saving setup time.
As previously said, the most striking change is the support for vertical tabs, which slide into a left-hand sidebar that can be resized and reordered.
It takes inspiration from newer competitors like Arc, a web browser from The Browser Company. However, OpenAI keeps it simpler than its rival, in order to make tab-heavy workflows feel less cramped than the traditional horizontal strip.
The simplicity approach can also be seen on the new interface for managing downloads, which replaces the earlier minimal design with something clearer and more polished.
As these improvements arrive, the broader browser market is shifting.
Chrome remains dominant, AI-first browsers are emerging from multiple companies, and Safari has yet to embrace deep AI integration. With each update, Atlas moves into a stronger position, especially among Mac users who already rely on ChatGPT for writing, research, or quick explanations.
It still has ground to cover before becoming a full default for everyone, and habits built around Safari or Chrome run deep. Yet the direction is clear.
The foundation is already strong, development is moving fast, and with each release, Atlas feels less like an experiment and more like a browser that could eventually claim a comfortable place on the Mac.