Placing the company in direct competition with Google Chrome, the browser, now available globally on macOS, brings ChatGPT beyond its traditional chat interface and into the core of how users interact with the web. 

Atlas allows users to summarise webpages, compare products, analyse data, fill out forms, and even automate complex tasks. With its built-in “Agent Mode,” paid subscribers can delegate multi-step activities such as trip planning, online shopping, or research, all executed autonomously by ChatGPT.

In a live demo, OpenAI engineers showed ChatGPT finding an online recipe and purchasing all the required ingredients on Instacart, demonstrating the browser’s ability to handle tasks from start to finish. Versions for Windows, iOS, and Android are expected to follow soon.

Atlas is built on Chromium, the same open-source engine behind Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, ensuring full compatibility with existing websites. The browser also introduces browser memories, allowing ChatGPT to retain context from sites a user visits and use that information to provide smarter assistance later. 

Importantly, users maintain full control, they can view, archive, or delete these memories and browsing history at any time.

One early tester, college student Yogya Kalra, commended the tool’s seamless learning experience: “During lectures, I like using practice questions and real-world examples to really understand the material. 

“I used to switch between my slides and ChatGPT, taking screenshots just to ask a question. Now ChatGPT instantly understands what I’m looking at, helping me improve my knowledge checks as I go.”

According to OpenAI, Atlas is designed to create a more natural and interactive browsing experience by letting ChatGPT “come with you anywhere across the web.” The company says this integration will allow users to get work done faster, without constantly switching tabs or copying and pasting information.

Following the release, Alphabet’s shares fell by 1.8%. This reveals the market is uneasy due to the potential disruption to Google’s search advertising business. Analysts note that by embedding chat-driven search into a browser, OpenAI could eventually compete for a significant portion of Google’s ad revenue.

“Integrating chat into a browser is a precursor for OpenAI starting to sell ads, which it has yet to do so far,” said Gil Luria, analyst at D.A. Davidson. “Once OpenAI starts selling ads, that could take away a significant part of search advertising share from Google, which has around 90% of that spend category.”

Despite Chrome’s commanding 71.9% global market share, experts believe AI-native browsers like Atlas could gradually impact user behaviour, pushing the industry toward a more personalised, conversational web.

With the launch, OpenAI is leaping from being a software provider to owning part of the consumer interface. With over 800 million weekly active ChatGPT users, the company now has a massive base to build new monetisation channels, from search ads to productivity tools.

Atlas’s launch also stresses the competition between OpenAI and Google. In response to ChatGPT’s growing influence, Google has integrated its Gemini AI model into Chrome and introduced AI Overviews, blending chatbot-style summaries with traditional search results.

While Chrome still tops for now, Atlas shows browsing could become less about typing keywords, and more about having an intelligent assistant that understands, learns, and acts on behalf of the user.

If the CMA designates Google under this new status, enabled by powers granted under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act that took effect earlier this year, the tech giant would face a set of binding obligations. 

These include offering users alternatives to Google Search, giving publishers more control over how their content is used, and ensuring that businesses have fair access to search visibility. Simply put, the UK is moving to weaken Google’s grip on online discovery.

“Google search accounts for more than 90% of all general search queries in the UK, with millions of people relying on it as a key gateway to the internet,” said Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA. “If competition was working well, we would expect these costs to be lower.”

The regulator is particularly concerned about the implications of Google’s market monopoly on innovation, business costs, and user choice. In 2023 alone, UK businesses reportedly spent over £33,000 per advertiser on Google search ads, a figure the CMA believes reflects limited competitive pressure.

Should the SMS designation go through, Google would be required to implement “choice screens” that allow users to switch easily between competing search engines, including potentially AI-driven assistants. 

It would also have to ensure transparent and non-discriminatory search result rankings, a demand long stated by publishers and rival firms.

Another focus is how Google’s AI-enabled search features, such as AI Overviews, use third-party content. The CMA wants publishers to have more say in how their work is used, particularly given that such content often drive these AI-generated results without sufficient visibility or compensation.

The regulator hasn’t shied away from the fact that this is a transition in oversight. While the EU has already introduced digital regulations under the Digital Markets Act, the UK is opting for a case-by-case, targeted approach that still carries substantial consequences. 

The CMA now has the authority to impose fines and enforce decisions directly, a post-Brexit empowerment it intends to wield.

Google, unsurprisingly, has objected. “Punitive regulation could stop us bringing new features and services to Britain,” warned Oliver Bethell, Google’s senior director for competition. He added, “Proportionate, evidence-based regulation will be essential to preventing the CMA’s roadmap from becoming a roadblock to growth in the UK.”

Though the CMA is quick to stress that its proposed intervention is not a judgment of wrongdoing, it’s also clear that the agency believes Google has used its authority to suppress innovation. 

Beyond traditional search, the CMA also plans to monitor how generative AI technologies, which Google is increasingly embedding into search, may further entrench the company’s position. 

For now, the Gemini AI Assistant will not be covered under the proposed designation, but the regulator says this could change depending on how the technology evolves and is adopted.

This isn’t the only front on which Google faces such in the UK. The CMA is also examining its control over the Android mobile operating system in a separate probe, which could lead to an additional SMS designation targeting mobile software.

Globally, Google’s regulatory issues are increasing. It’s been hit with landmark antitrust cases in the United States, and in the EU it faces accusations of violating digital platform rules. 

The CMA is currently collecting input from industry stakeholders. Its final decision is expected by 13 October 2025.

At its latest tech and product event, the company launched a conversational search experience powered by ChatGPT, and it’s starting to go live for iOS users this week as an opt-in beta.

Some subscribers in Australia and New Zealand got early access, according to Bloomberg. Now, you can type in casual phrases like “I want something funny and upbeat” or more specific moods like “scary, but not too scary… and maybe a little bit funny, but not haha funny.” In short, Netflix wants us to talk to our TV screens like we would to a friend.

This puts Netflix in the same arena as Amazon’s Fire TV, which already allows voice searches for vague prompts like “something exciting with a twist.” Tubi had a similar ChatGPT-based feature for a while but quietly dropped it, likely due to poor engagement. 

Netflix has also overhauled its interface, the most commendable change in over ten years. Beyond aesthetics, the redesign is focused on practicality. Menus are cleaner, information is clearer, and decisions should be easier. 

The goal is to stop jumping through hoops just to figure out what a show is about. Or, as Netflix puts it, to reduce “eye gymnastics.”

“We think it’s time to take a giant leap forward,” said Netflix’s chief product officer, Eunice Kim. “The new interface is simpler, more intuitive, and better represents the breadth of entertainment available.”

She added, “The current TV experience is built for shows and movies. This is designed for the future.”

Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone said Netflix wants its interface to finally reflect the platform’s evolving line-up, which now includes video games, sports, and live events.

In a subtle nod to TikTok’s influence, Netflix is also introducing vertical video previews for mobile users, allowing for faster browsing, easier sharing, and immediate access to full episodes or trailers. The aim is to capture attention before the scroll fatigue kicks in.

More practically, shortcuts like the My Netflix tab, home to your reminders and continue watching list, will now appear at the top of the screen, making them more accessible.

Behind the scenes, there’s another major shift. With Netflix continuing to bet on live content, it’s facing growing technical challenges.

Last year’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match pulled in around 65 million viewers and tested the platform’s limits, with many users complaining about buffering and glitches.

The company has since upgraded its streaming systems. When Netflix aired two NFL games weeks later, the service held up without major issues. Now, with WWE’s RAW and new weekly talk shows like Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney, Netflix is doubling down on live content. 

But scaling live events globally demands stronger infrastructure, especially as the company eyes higher sports deals.

Eunice Kim noted, “This is designed for the future.”

While this may sound like a time-saver, privacy concerns are cropping up. Users are questioning what data Google collects, how long it stores it, and whether AI is now combing through their personal conversations.

A December 2023 survey by StartMail found that 95% of respondents worry about AI’s impact on privacy, and more than 40% are deeply concerned about AI scanning their emails.

Now the question is: ‘does Google’s latest foray into AI offer a welcome convenience, or does it risk users’ privacy?’

How the AI-Powered Search Works

While Google publicly refers to this update as “AI-enhanced search,” many suspect it runs on the company’s Gemini AI platform. The new Gmail AI search approach goes beyond simple keyword matching by considering factors such as recency, the frequency with which you click on emails from certain senders, and your regular contacts. 

For example, if you search “reservation,” the AI might rank booking confirmations (like flight details or restaurant receipts) at the top.

By default, Gmail now sorts results under “Most relevant,” but users can switch to a “Most recent” view for a traditional chronological list. Some users report that this relevance-based ranking is a lifesaver for crowded inboxes, while others worry that changing the order may hide brand-new emails or obscure why certain messages are prioritized.

Gemini AI’s Data Practices

Google emphasizes that it does not use general Gmail content for training its AI models without permission. However, if you actively invoke an AI feature (for example, asking the AI to summarize an email or draft a reply), that content is processed to deliver the requested service.

The following table, curated with reference to insights from Topview.ai, summarizes the key data practices:

Key clarifications:

• If you delete an AI conversation or turn off the “Gemini Apps Activity,” Google still retains recent interactions for up to 72 hours to facilitate service delivery and process feedback.
• A small percentage of chats may be selected for quality review (with personal identifiers removed) and could be stored for up to 3 years even if you delete your history.
• Although Gmail’s general inbox content is not automatically used for AI training, any snippet you provide to the AI (for instance, to generate a summary) is processed and stored for model improvement.
  

Public Sentiment

The StartMail survey highlights widespread concern about AI scanning private correspondence.

Ninety-five percent of respondents are worried about the broader privacy implications of AI, and over 40% are specifically concerned about AI reading personal emails.

Many experts believe that confusion over how AI processes and retains data contributes to this mistrust, especially when details are hidden in lengthy privacy policies.

“Integrating powerful AI into something as universally used as Gmail requires clear communication. While the ability to rank important emails is beneficial, Google must clearly define how long user data is retained, why it is kept, and who ultimately has access. Without that clarity, user trust is at risk.” – AI Analyst at Topview

Recommendations for Users

1. Check Your Search Preferences

• Gmail defaults to “Most relevant.” If you prefer a traditional chronological view, you can switch to “Most recent” with a simple click.
• Review Gemini AI Activity Settings
  • In your Google Account’s privacy controls, you can pause or delete AI interactions to limit data retention. By default, AI chat data is stored for up to 18 months, though you can adjust this setting to 3 months or up to 3 years.
• Stay Cautious with Sensitive Content
  • Avoid using the AI to summarize or handle highly confidential emails. Once processed, the content may be stored for model improvement even if it is anonymized.

Google’s Gmail AI search offers a smoother and more efficient email experience by leveraging advanced algorithms to surface key messages. However, the balance between convenience and privacy remains a key issue.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday tools, users must decide whether the benefit of faster, more intuitive email search outweighs the potential privacy risks. The responsibility falls on both Google to maintain transparency and on users to actively manage their privacy settings.