OpenAI's Atlas Browser Avoids Certain Media Sites
OpenAI introduced its AI browser, Atlas, last month, integrating web browsing capabilities with the ChatGPT chatbot. A notable feature called "agent mode" allows the browser to navigate the web on behalf of users to perform tasks like research or shopping.
Despite its innovative approach, agent mode faces significant challenges such as serious security issues and slow performance that reduce its usefulness. More notably, the browser appears to avoid accessing content from websites belonging to media companies suing OpenAI.
Legal Conflicts Impact Browser's Web Access
The Columbia University's Tow Center for Digital Journalism observed that Atlas "seems to avoid reading content from media companies that are currently suing OpenAI." Examples include:
- PCMag, owned by Ziff Davis, which sued OpenAI for copyright infringement earlier this year.
- The New York Times, which filed a similar lawsuit in 2023.
“It was like a rat finding food pellets in a maze, knowing that the locations of certain food pellets are electrified,” Gizmodo commented on Atlas' behavior.
Instead of acting like a helpful guide that identifies the best resources, the agent mode selectively excludes certain web sources, reflecting the tension between OpenAI and these publishers.
Author's Summary
OpenAI’s Atlas browser, designed to assist users by browsing the web, deliberately avoids content from media companies engaged in legal battles with OpenAI, limiting its comprehensiveness.