Winsage
January 1, 2026
Microsoft has a history of discouraging users from downloading Chrome through its Edge browser and Bing search engine. This practice may extend to OpenAI’s upcoming ChatGPT Atlas, which is designed as an agentic browser. Currently, searches for Google Chrome on Bing prompt users to continue using Edge, highlighting its features. If users attempt to download Chrome directly, they receive reminders of Edge's advantages. Microsoft is reportedly preparing to intercept the launch of ChatGPT Atlas on Windows, as indicated by experimental flags found in Edge Canary. These flags suggest that Edge will attempt to redirect users from ChatGPT Atlas, similar to its approach with Chrome. ChatGPT Atlas can autonomously navigate the web based on user prompts, posing a potential challenge to Edge's popularity. Microsoft is likely concerned about losing users to ChatGPT Atlas, which offers more advanced agentic functionalities than Edge's Copilot feature.