ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on Tuesday announced an "Atlas" search browser, leveraging its artificial intelligence prowess in a direct challenge to Google Chrome.

"This is an AI-powered web browser built around ChatGPT," OpenAI chief Sam Altman said in a streamed presentation.

OpenAI has ramped up its challenge to Google, which has responded by rapidly building more AI capabilities into search and across its platform.

Altman and a team of executives demonstrated an "agent" mode that has a chatbot conduct searches on a user's behalf.

Altman said that in agent mode, ChatGPT uses the web browser independently, returning with what it finds.

"It's got all your stuff and is clicking around," Altman said.

"You can watch it or not, you don't have to, but it's using the internet for you."

Atlas will go live Tuesday on computers powered by Apple's operating system free of charge, but agent mode will only be available to users of paid Plus or Pro versions of ChatGPT, according to Altman.

"We........

© International Business Times