On Tuesday, OpenAI launched its own web browser, ‘ChatGPT Atlas”, built around its artificial intelligence (AI) model- the most widely used in the world- in a bid to supplant Google Chrome as the number one gateway to the web.
“AI represents a rare, once-in-a-decade opportunity to rethink the very nature of a browser and how we use it,” said OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, during an online demonstration.
OpenAI aims to challenge Google – SAMUEL BOIVIN / NURPHOTO / AFP
“Tabs were great, but we haven’t seen much innovation since,” he argued, asserting that browsing via the search bar and URLs could now give way to a conversational, chat-like experience within a web browser.
The new browser, currently available only on Mac, integrates ChatGPT in a sidebar, allowing the generative AI to scan the page being viewed and provide contextual assistance, without the need to copy and paste between tabs.
For paying subscribers, ChatGPT Atlas also lets an AI agent take over navigation, control the cursor, and book a flight, fill in a form, or edit a document.
Most of these features are similar to those gradually being rolled out in rival browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, enhanced with the Copilot AI agent, or Comet from AI start-up Perplexity.
But the launch of ChatGPT Atlas was particularly eagerly awaited, as it is built around the world’s most popular model, with 800 million weekly users, according to OpenAI, roughly 10% of the global population.
Google rebounds
With AI models delivering broadly comparable performance for most consumer use cases, the battle to attract the largest number of users now centres on building the most popular and user-friendly interface.
“This marks another step in the race among tech companies to make their AI interface the number one portal for internet users,” said Jacob Bourne, an eMarketer analyst.
ChatGPT Atlas is available from Tuesday exclusively on Apple‘s macOS, with plans to extend to Windows and mobile (iOS and Android), said Sam Altman, without specifying a timescale.
In a sign of what is at stake, the release of a video by OpenAI, showing browser tabs two hours before the announcement, immediately triggered a drop of nearly 5% in the share price of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. But the shares rebounded shortly after OpenAI’s demonstration ended, down just 1.87% by 18:50 GMT.
In September, Alphabet won a major victory in this competition when the US courts ruled it would not be forced to sell Chrome, contrary to the US government’s position, which had sought divestment on antitrust grounds.
In August, Perplexity AI offered to buy Google’s Chrome browser for $34.5 billion, before the courts allowed Alphabet to keep its flagship product and the advertising windfall that comes with it.
In another sign of the ongoing evolution of web browsing interfaces, several major news organisations, such as CNN and The Washington Post, or Le Figaro and Le Monde, have recently entered into paid partnerships with Perplexity to make their articles available to Comet’s paying subscribers.
Having thrown itself headlong into the AI race, OpenAI, whose estimated valuation has reached $500 billion, has in recent weeks placed orders for chips worth hundreds of billions of dollars- sums out of step with its current revenues and a source of concern for some investors.
This article is an automatic translation. Click here to read the original article.
French sporting goods retailer Decathlon is continuing its expansion across Latin America. The business has opened its first store in El Salvador, a large-format location at the Multiplaza shopping centre in the country’s capital San Salvador.
Decathlon
‘This country, known for its rich culture, its Pacific coastline ideal for surfing, and its growing passion for outdoor sports, represents a strategic and vibrant market for our mission,” said the business in a release. Decathlon also stated that it aims to “bring people together through sport to make wellbeing accessible for all.”
Decathlon’s expansion into Latin American markets has marked a milestone, boosting access to sports equipment across a range of disciplines. The business currently has a presence in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, and now El Salvador.
Latin America has become a highly attractive market for European and other international brands, with new market entries up by more than 30% over the past three years.
This article is an automatic translation. Click here to read the original article.
Two now becomes three. Fashion accessories/jewellery membership club More Luxury Club has joined forces with Cocoon Club and My Wardrobe HQ to operate under an ever-widening Cocoon Group umbrella to become a “circular luxury powerhouse”.
Image: More Luxury Club
With More Luxury Club founded “to redefine how people access and enjoy luxury goods, building a loyal community passionate about quality, longevity, and conscious consumption”, it dovetails neatly with the Cocoon Group ethos.
Cynthia Morrow, co-founder of More Luxury Club, explained: “Cocoon shares our belief that the future of luxury lies in sustainability, circularity, and community – and we are proud that our members will continue this journey within a company that shares our values and long-term vision”.
She noted that it’s an integration that “marks an important milestone for the circular fashion sector”.
Cocoon Group’s overall mission is “to build the leading ecosystem for circular luxury”, expanded benefits including access to designer rental, resale, subscription models and exclusive brand collaborations – “all within one unified platform”.
Following its recent merger with My Wardrobe HQ, Cocoon said it has become a consolidating force in the circular luxury sector, bringing together businesses such as Rotaro, Cercle, and now More Luxury Club, “positioning Cocoon as the definitive category leader”, offering the “most comprehensive, sustainable, and innovative way to access and enjoy luxury fashion in the UK”.
Cocoon Group CEO Coco Baraer Panazza, added: “Our mission is to build the most forward-thinking and sustainable way for people to enjoy luxury… as we continue to scale a smarter, more inclusive and more circular future for fashion together.”
Kering used to have a minority stake in Cocoon (which it took in 2021) but it exited that stake earlier this year.
What’s been a good year for Outlet Shopping at The O2 has just got better. The centre, linked closely to the O2 entertainment arena in the Greenwich Peninsular, southeast London, has opened two more new stores — fashion retailer TM Lewin and jewellery brand Lovisa — while also adding a recently-upsized unit for sportswear brand New Balance.
Image: TM Lewin
It all adds up to “growing momentum” for an outlet shopping destination that’s “on track for a stellar end to 2025” having enjoyed a 23% uplift in sales throughout November vs 2024, and footfall up 24% across the whole scheme, it said.
British heritage brand TM Lewin’s 1,827 sq ft store becomes the retailer’s only outlet location after returning to physical retail earlier this year. The space offers the brand’s range of shirts, suits, and accessories.
Dan Ferris, managing director at TM Lewin, said: “Our re-entry into physical retail has been a big move for us this year, and we have carefully selected locations where we believe our stores can get the best experience, regular customers, and be part of a community.”
Also making its outlet debut, Lovisa will open a 1,722 sq ft unit, adjacent to fashion retailers Dune London and Kurt Geiger, becoming the destination’s second dedicated jewellery retailer. It’s arrival supports the venue as a draw for accessories with demand “up 38% over November vs the same period in 2024”.
The store will offer its full range of necklaces, earrings and rings as well as its piercing facilities.
Long-standing tenant New Balance is also set to reinvest at the outlet, upsizing into a new 3,129 sq ft unit. The space will sport the brand’s new store concept, with additional space for wider stock collections.
Louisa Dalgleish, leasing director at Outlet Shopping at The O2, added: “As a destination already full of leading retail, the fact that we continue to attract such strong brands for their outlet debuts speaks volumes about our sustained momentum. Our success is a direct result of our collaborative landlord approach and the strength of our tenant mix, and our positive results throughout November are a clear indication that things show no sign of slowing down, with us remaining firmly front of mind for new entries into the outlet market.”
Politics8 years ago