Representative Image. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

AI Browser race is heating up. Just two days after OpenAI‘s announcement of ChatGPT Atlas, Microsoft has launched a suite of new features for its AI assistant. This includes an ambitious project that builds artificial intelligence directly into one of its most central products — Microsoft CoPilot. The new CoPilot Mode in Microsoft Edge goes beyond just being a browser extension and is said to be Microsoft’s take on AI browser category — an intelligent and flexible AI assistant that follows you as you browse the web.

Microsoft AI CEO makes it clear: It is ChatGPT Atlas rival

Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, even described the new product in those terms in the announcement. “Copilot Mode in Edge is evolving into an AI browser that is your dynamic, intelligent companion,” Suleyman wrote in the announcement post. “With your permission, Copilot can see and reason over your open tabs, summarize and compare information, and even take actions like booking a hotel or filling out forms.”Microsoft’s announcement comes just two days after OpenAI introduced its Atlas browser, sparking comparisons due to their striking visual and functional similarities. While Copilot Mode features a darker background, text instead of a logo, and Windows-style interface elements, it closely resembles Atlas in design. Both integrate a chatbot into the “new tab” screen, though Copilot opts for a full-tab “ride-along” function rather than a split-screen approach.Industry observers note that browser design constraints may explain the similarities, as clean interfaces leave limited room for variation. The real distinction lies in the underlying AI models powering each browser, which will likely define the user experience.Microsoft’s release, planned for weeks and likely in development for months, coincides with a heated AI race between the two companies, or should we say ‘Frenemies’. The near-simultaneous launches underscore the competitive tension between Microsoft and OpenAI, despite neither inventing the AI browser concept. As both companies vie for dominance, this week’s dual announcements signal a new chapter in AI-driven web browsing.