ChatGPT Atlas is the worst browser for privacy in 2025

ChatGPT was touted as ‘the heart’ of OpenAI’s new Atlas browser, as tech firms seek to challenge Google Chrome’s supremacy – Copyright AFP/File Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV

ChatGPT Atlas failed 100% of state partitioning tests, meaning it cannot prevent websites from tracking users across different browsing sessions and Chrome ranks among the worst for privacy despite its popularity, scoring only 41 out of 100 for securing how it connects you to websites.

These are findings that appear in a browser privacy report from the company Digitain, who examined 13 popular browsers across various security features. Each browser underwent dozens of technical tests assessing three key areas: how easily websites can track or identify users (fingerprinting and tracking), how well the browser blocks data collection through cookies and trackers, and whether it maintains secure connections between websites. Scores from each category were combined into a final Privacy Risk Score ranging from 1 to 99, with higher scores indicating poorer privacy protection, and 99 representing almost no privacy at all.

The 10 browsers with the highest privacy risks

As indicated from the table, ChatGPT Atlas is the least private browser of all. OpenAI’s newly launched tool failed nearly every privacy test conducted in the study, scoring just 1 point in anti-fingerprinting protection and 0 in tracker blocking. The browser provides no defense against websites collecting user data through cookies, query parameters, or content trackers. ChatGPT Atlas also performed poorly in basic security measures, managing only 24 points out of 100 for connection and navigation security.

Chrome comes second with a privacy risk score of 76, despite being the world’s most popular browser. Google’s browser scored 68 in stopping websites from identifying you but received 0 points for blocking trackers, meaning companies can freely follow your activity across the web. Chrome doesn’t block tracking cookies or the hidden markers that websites use to monitor where you go online. The browser earned 41 points for connection security, falling well below privacy-focused alternatives.

Vivaldi ranks third among the least private web clients. The browser matched Chrome’s 68-point anti-fingerprinting score but similarly failed to block any trackers, recording 0 in that category. Vivaldi’s connection security also came in slightly lower at 37 points compared to Chrome’s 41. Despite marketing itself as a privacy-conscious alternative to mainstream browsers, Vivaldi’s test results show it offers low protection against online tracking and data harvesting.

Next comes Microsoft Edge. The browser posted the same 68 points as Chrome and Vivaldi for anti-fingerprinting but showed slight improvement in tracker blocking with a score of 15 out of 100. Edge tied Chrome’s connection security rating at 41 points. While Edge performs marginally better than Chrome and Vivaldi, it still fails to provide adequate privacy protection for users concerned about data collection and online tracking.

Opera rounds out the five least private browsers. Like other Chromium-based browsers in this ranking, Opera scored 68 for anti-fingerprinting and 41 for connection security. However, Opera showed slightly better tracker blocking capabilities with 25 points, putting it ahead of Edge, Vivaldi, and Chrome in this category. Despite these small improvements, Opera still ranks among browsers that offer poor overall privacy protection.

While AI-powered browsers like ChatGPT Atlas and Comet from Perplexity are getting considerable attention they do pose security issues. Since AI works by collecting and learning from data, these tools might be gathering more of personal information than users realise.