OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has unveiled Atlas, a new web browser designed to blend artificial intelligence directly into the browsing experience. But while the browser promises smarter, more personalized internet use, privacy experts are warning that the cost could be steep — your digital privacy.

A Browser That Thinks — and Remembers

Atlas replaces traditional search engines like Google with ChatGPT as its core assistant. Users can ask questions about pages they’re visiting, summarize long articles, or even let ChatGPT perform tasks like drafting emails or reopening previously visited sites.

But this convenience comes with an unusual twist: Atlas doesn’t just track your browsing history — it builds “memories” of what you view and do online. These memories include summaries of the sites you visit, your preferences, and even contextual details like upcoming trips or favorite airlines.

According to OpenAI’s Atlas product lead, Adam Fry, “The goal was to make it easier for ChatGPT to work alongside you as you browse the web.”

Privacy Advocates Sound the Alarm

Experts, however, see potential dangers. Lena Cohen, a technologist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), called Atlas’s data collection “a privacy nightmare.”

Tests by the EFF found that Atlas sometimes stored sensitive information, including records related to reproductive health services, despite OpenAI’s claim that it avoids remembering medical or financial data.

OpenAI insists that Atlas does not intentionally retain private details such as passwords, IDs, or financial records. Users can also review and delete memories, disable tracking for specific sites, or switch to an “incognito” mode — though, as critics note, even that mode doesn’t hide activity from ChatGPT itself.

Beyond Convenience: The Surveillance Question

Atlas’s deep integration of AI brings both innovation and risk. Its ability to recall past browsing sessions or automate web actions effectively hands over a digital record of users’ habits and interests — something privacy experts fear could be exploited.

Questions also remain about government access to these records. If Atlas stores detailed browsing memories, could law enforcement agencies demand that data? OpenAI has not yet clarified its stance.

AI Agents with Access — A Risky Combination

One of Atlas’s most ambitious features is its AI agent mode, which can perform actions for users — from finding products to canceling subscriptions. But letting AI operate a browser tied to personal logins and payment details raises concerns about potential errors or misuse.

Fry said Atlas limits high-risk actions to “safe” modes that require user oversight, and AI agent access can be isolated to an empty browser session.

A New Frontier — or a Step Too Far?

While OpenAI says Atlas’s data usage is meant solely to “enhance product features” and not for advertising, critics note that even without ads, the browser’s memory function turns browsing into a deeply monitored experience.

Atlas represents a significant step toward AI-integrated browsing, where the line between assistant and observer blurs. For users, the question isn’t just whether Atlas makes life easier — it’s whether the trade-off in privacy is worth it.

As browsers evolve from simple tools into powerful AI companions, Atlas may mark the beginning of a new era of convenience — or the next chapter in online surveillance.

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