OpenAI launches Atlas browser to compete with Google Chrome

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Category: Technology/Innovations

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. lifeblood / ˈlaɪfˌblʌd / (n.) – the part of something that provides strength, energy, or success to a person, group, or activity
    Example:

    Small businesses are the lifeblood of many local communities.


  2. ubiquitous / yuˈbɪk wɪ təs / (adj.) – existing or found everywhere; very common
    Example:

    Internet connection has become ubiquitous in cafes, hotels, and even public parks.


  3. blueprint / ˈbluˌprɪnt / (n.) – a plan, model, or example that shows how something should be developed or achieved
    Example:

    The city council wants to develop a blueprint for improving public transportation.


  4. mount / maʊnt / (v.) – to plan, organize, and begin an action or effort
    Example:

    The company wants to mount a new advertising strategy next month to attract more customers.


  5. formidable / ˌfɔrˈmɪd ə bəl / (adj.) – very strong, powerful, or difficult to deal with, causing respect or worry
    Example:

    The company’s new product became a formidable competitor in the market.


Article

Read the text below.

OpenAI introduced its own web browser, Atlas, on October 21, putting the ChatGPT maker in direct competition with Google as more internet users rely on artificial intelligence to answer their questions.


Making its popular AI chatbot a gateway to online searches could allow OpenAI, the world’s most valuable startup, to pull in more internet traffic and the revenue made from digital advertising. It could also further cut off the lifeblood of online publishers if ChatGPT so effectively feeds people summarized information that they stop exploring the internet and clicking on traditional web links.


OpenAI has said ChatGPT already has more than 800 million users, but many of them get it for free. The San Francisco-based company also sells paid subscriptions but is losing more money than it makes and has been looking for ways to turn a profit.


OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called it a “rare, once-a-decade opportunity to rethink what a browser can be about and how to use one.” But analyst Paddy Harrington of market research group Forrester said it will be a big challenge “competing with a giant who has ridiculous market share.”


OpenAI’s browser is coming out just a few months after one of its executives testified that the company would be interested in buying Google’s industry-leading Chrome browser if a federal judge had required it to be sold to prevent the abuses that resulted in Google’s ubiquitous search engine being declared an illegal monopoly.


But U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta last September issued a decision that rejected the Chrome sale sought by the U.S. Justice Department in the monopoly case, partly because he believed advances in the AI industry already are reshaping the competitive landscape.


OpenAI’s browser will face a daunting challenge against Chrome, which has amassed about three billion worldwide users and has been adding some AI features from Google’s Gemini technology.


Chrome’s immense success could provide a blueprint for OpenAI as it enters the browser market. When Google released Chrome in 2008, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer was so dominant that few observers believed a new browser could mount a formidable threat.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • OpenAI released a new web browser called Atlas to compete with Google Chrome. Would you consider using Atlas or keep the web browser you are currently using? Why do you say so? What would make you curious or confident enough to try a completely new browser like Atlas? Discuss.
  • Some people like to try new technology as soon as it is available, while others prefer to wait until it’s proven to work well. Which type of person are you, and why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • More people today use AI tools like ChatGPT to get answers instead of checking websites themselves. Why do you think this change is happening? If people depend too much on AI for information, how could this change the way we think, read, or decide what to believe? Discuss.
  • Would you rather use AI to get quick answers or read different websites yourself? Why do you say so? What are the pros and cons of each choice? Discuss.