I Let Chatgpt Atlas Do My Walmart Shopping For Me - Here's How The Ai Browser Agent Did

3 weeks ago

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

OpenAI's Atlas browser is present for Mac users, pinch Agent mode.
Agent navigates sites, fills carts, and performs real-world task.
My speedy shopping trial shows a batch of imaginable - and mini hurdles.

OpenAI has released its caller AI browser, Atlas, but it's only disposable to Mac users for now.

I watched nan company's demo this day and instantly had to effort it, being a Mac personification myself. The caller browser combines what seems for illustration nan champion of ChatGPT pinch a full-featured web interface. And, for Plus and Pro users, it includes a powerful Agent mode that gives ChatGPT nan expertise to return complete your browser, click around, and execute tasks for you.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's genitor company, revenge an April 2025 suit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights successful training and operating its AI systems.)

Also: How to usage ChatGPT: A beginner's guideline to nan astir celebrated AI chatbot

I wanted to spot really acold this could go, truthful I put Agent to activity connected thing I'd usually do myself: ordering groceries and hardware supplies from Walmart for same-day delivery.

Trying Atlas pinch Agent for errands

During OpenAI's demo, CEO Sam Altman and different executives showed disconnected Agent mode by asking ChatGPT to publication a recipe, past bid nan ingredients for 8 group from Safeway via Instacart -- each without anyone having to click a thing. It was impressive.

But I unrecorded successful a agrarian area wherever Instacart doesn't exist, and Walmart is 1 of nan fewer section stores that delivers. I figured it would make nan cleanable trial lawsuit for Atlas and Agent mode. To support things simple, though, I decided to conscionable bargain a fewer items alternatively of nan 50-plus products I usually bid during my play market deliveries.

Also: ChatGPT tin bargain worldly for you now - everlastingly changing online shopping

After downloading Atlas, nan setup process asked maine to import Chrome data, usage Apple Keychain for passwords, and group it arsenic my default browser. Once I approved those and different permissions, nan browser launched.

The interface reminds maine of a caller Google Chrome tab -- a elemental achromatic page pinch a hunt container successful nan halfway and immoderate suggestions below. OpenAI said these suggestions will get amended complete clip based connected my browsing habits and usage data.

I toggled connected Agent mode, selected nan action to enactment logged successful truthful ChatGPT could activity wrong my signed-in accounts, and entered my first prompt:

"Order maine wood putty, paintable caulk, and 2-inch screws from Walmart."

Agent instantly took complete my Atlas tab -- cursor and each -- while I sat backmost and watched. This is wherever I could astir apt spell do different things and cheque backmost successful a fewer minutes, but I wanted to spot what Agent would do.

Where things sewage bumpy

Right away, Agent ran into immoderate hurdles. Walmart's tract threw up a language-selection pop-up that seemed to artifact Agent from navigating. Despite giving Atlas entree to my Chrome data and Keychain, I wasn't logged into Walmart successful nan browser, truthful Agent besides didn't cognize my location aliases default store. Without that info, it couldn't show which products were successful banal for delivery.

Also: ChatGPT wants to enactment much for illustration an OS - arsenic it transforms into an app platform

I stopped nan session, signed into Walmart manually, reselected Agent mode, and refined my prompt:

"Order maine 5 wood putty, 5 paintable caulk, and 1 battalion of 2-inch screws. I want them delivered to my location from nan Malone, NY, location successful an hour."

Agent started over, this clip successfully searching and adding items to nan cart. But I noticed it wasn't choosing nan brands I usually bargain -- moreover though I'd purchased them before. So I tried different refinement to my prompt:

"Order maine 5 wood putty, 5 paintable caulk, and 1 battalion of 2-inch screws. I want them delivered to my location from nan Malone, NY, location successful an hour. I've ordered these before, truthful usage my past purchases to find nan correct products and brands I use."

This time, it worked.

Agent went to my acquisition history successful Walmart, searched for nan products, recovered them successful my past orders, and loaded up my Walmart cart correctly. When nan checkout surface appeared, I only had to prime a transportation window, set nan tip, and corroborate payment.

My bid is now connected its way.

What worked and what's adjacent

Overall, nan acquisition is half magic, half refining. After adjusting my punctual a fewer times and manually signing into Walmart, Agent mode understood nan task perfectly, interacted pinch Walmart's online store, and sewage maine almost each nan measurement to checkout.

What worked (and didn't) and what's next

It struggled pinch pop-ups and my shopping preferences erstwhile I wasn't signed successful to Walmart and didn't mention to my acquisition history without maine telling it to do truthful directly. Still, for a first-day test, and for being type 1.0, it's amazingly capable. I could've astir apt done nan bid faster myself, sure, but watching ChatGPT Agent really navigate a unrecorded website, click done menus, and build a shopping cart was undeniably cool. The full acquisition took maine astir 10 minutes. Not bad, right?

Also: ChatGPT conscionable saved maine 25% disconnected my meal coming - here's how

I can't hold to spot what other I tin do. I deliberation it could beryllium awesome to usage astir nan holidays. For instance, I'm already readying to inquire it to find nan hottest toys for 4-year-olds connected Amazon, select by champion sellers and reviews, instrumentality to a budget, and capable retired my cart automatically. If it works, it could prevention maine hours of gift-hunting -- aliases astatine slightest animate a fewer awesome coming ideas.

It's early days, but if OpenAI keeps updating Atlas and Agent mode, which it plans to do, they could easy go 1 of nan most useful AI tools disposable for mundane users.

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