On Thursday, Microsoft introduced a fresh set of capabilities for its AI assistant, unveiling a major initiative that integrates artificial intelligence directly into one of its core offerings. Going beyond a mere add-on, Copilot Mode in Microsoft’s Edge browser represents the company’s vision for the much-anticipated AI browser—a smart, adaptable assistant that accompanies users as they navigate the internet.
Mustafa Suleyman, who leads Microsoft AI, described the new feature in similar terms during the announcement. “Copilot Mode in Edge is transforming into an AI-powered browser that acts as your intelligent, ever-evolving companion,” Suleyman stated in the announcement. “With your consent, Copilot can access and analyze your open tabs, provide summaries and comparisons, and even perform tasks such as booking hotels or completing forms.”
Edge’s Copilot Mode officially debuted in July, initially offering features like a search bar on new tabs and voice-based navigation. However, since it required users to opt in, it didn’t attract as much attention as expected. At Thursday’s presentation, Microsoft raised the bar by unveiling “Actions,” which enable Copilot to complete forms or reserve hotels, and “Journeys,” which allow Copilot to map relationships between your open tabs. While these aren’t radical changes, they were enough to make the AI browser concept the highlight of the event.
This announcement follows closely behind a similar reveal from OpenAI, which just introduced its Atlas browser two days earlier. Of course, Microsoft’s Copilot launch had been planned for some time, and the new Copilot Mode has likely been under development for months. Neither company can claim to have invented the AI-powered browser, but the visual resemblance between the two is striking.
A demonstration frame from Microsoft’s Copilot for Edge announcement. Image Credits:Microsoft (screenshot) 
A demonstration frame from OpenAI’s Atlas reveal. Image Credits:Microsoft (screenshot) The two screenshots are nearly identical. The Copilot for Edge interface features a slightly darker background, uses text instead of a logo, and its close and minimize buttons are styled after Windows rather than MacOS. Aside from that, Copilot’s “ride-along” feature appears in a new tab rather than a split view—but otherwise, the products are remarkably alike.
Some of this similarity comes down to function: users prefer uncluttered browsers, and there are limited ways to incorporate a chatbot into the “new tab” page. For most people, the biggest distinction will be the underlying AI models, so the resemblance in appearance may not matter much.
Web browsers tend to look alike anyway. Still, considering the intense competition in AI and the rivalry between these two companies, it’s notable that both browsers launched within days of each other.
Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly identified the October 23 event as the initial launch of Copilot for Edge. The feature actually debuted in July. TechCrunch apologizes for the mistake.
