In a recent update, OpenAI has shared that AI-powered web browsers, like their own ChatGPT Atlas, may never be completely safe from a type of cyber attack called prompt injection. This news came out on December 22, 2025, and it highlights a big challenge in making smart AI tools that can browse the web on their own. OpenAI is working hard to make things safer, but they admit it’s a tough problem that might stick around, much like online scams or tricks that fool people.
Prompt injection is when bad actors hide secret commands in things like web pages, emails, or documents. These commands can trick the AI into doing something wrong, like sharing private info or making bad choices. For example, imagine an AI looking for apartments online. A sneaky message hidden in a review could tell the AI to push a bad option, ignoring what the user really wants. Or, if the AI is handling emails, a fake message might make it search for and send out bank details by mistake. It’s like phishing, but aimed at AI instead of humans. As AI gets smarter and does more tasks on its own, these risks grow because the AI has access to more sensitive stuff.
ChatGPT Atlas is OpenAI’s new web browser that has AI built right in. It launched in October 2025 for Mac users, with plans for Windows, iOS, and Android soon. It’s not just a regular browser; it lets ChatGPT help with browsing in smart ways. For instance, it can remember things from sites you’ve visited (if you turn that on), suggest next steps, or even act like an agent to do tasks for you. In “agent mode,” the AI can research topics, book appointments, or order food based on a recipe you like. It starts from a new tab where you can ask questions or type URLs, and it opens results in tabs for links, images, videos, or news. This makes browsing easier and more helpful, but it also opens doors for attacks because the AI is reading and acting on web content.
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Right after Atlas came out, security experts found ways to trick it. For example, they used simple text in a Google Doc to change how the browser worked. Other companies like Brave pointed out that these “indirect” prompt injections are a big issue for all AI browsers, including ones from Perplexity. Even the UK’s top cyber security group said in December 2025 that large language models (the tech behind AI like ChatGPT) might always have this flaw, and we should focus on making the risks smaller instead of trying to fix it all.
OpenAI knows this is a problem and says, “Prompt injection, much like scams and social engineering on the web, is unlikely to ever be fully ‘solved’.” They see it as a long-term challenge for AI safety, and they’re always working to make defenses stronger. One cool way they’re fighting back is with an “LLM-based automated attacker.” This is an AI trained with reinforcement learning to act like a hacker. It tries to find weak spots by testing attacks over and over, even long chains of steps that could take hundreds of actions. In a test, this attacker put a bad email in an inbox to trick the AI into sending a quit message instead of a vacation reply. After updates, the AI caught it and warned the user.
OpenAI also uses other methods to protect against these attacks. They train their AI to spot and ignore bad instructions, using ideas like “Instruction Hierarchy” to know which commands to trust. They have monitors that watch in real time and block threats. For products like Atlas, they add extra safety, like asking for user okay before doing things on sensitive sites, or using a “logged-out mode” where the AI browses without your logins to keep data safe. There’s also “Watch Mode,” which pauses if you leave the tab, and they run a bug bounty program to pay people who find new risks. Users can control what data the AI sees, and OpenAI teaches people about the dangers when connecting apps.
Other companies are dealing with this too. Google uses layers of protection and tests a lot for its AI systems. Anthropic does similar things. But experts like Rami McCarthy from Wiz say that while these tools help, they’re just part of the fix. He thinks of risk as “autonomy times access” – AI browsers have some freedom and a lot of access to your stuff, like emails or payments, so the danger is great. He suggests limiting what the AI can do without checking with you, and giving it clear, narrow tasks instead of broad power.
There are real risks here. If an attack works, the AI could steal data from sites you’re logged into, make unwanted buys, or spread wrong info. OpenAI warns users not to give the AI too much freedom, because that makes it easier for hidden bad content to take over. They also say agents might mess up complex jobs, so always watch what they do. For parents, there are controls to turn off risky features. Privacy is key too – by default, what you browse isn’t used to train the AI, but you can opt in if you want.
This issue shows how fast AI is changing the web, but also how hard it is to keep it safe. McCarthy wonders if these smart browsers are worth the trouble right now, since the risks might outweigh the help for everyday stuff. But as tech gets better, maybe the balance will shift. OpenAI is teaming up with outside experts and fixing things fast when problems pop up. They’ve done thousands of hours of testing before launch and keep updating.
In the bigger picture, prompt injections are a new kind of security headache for all AI, not just browsers. Groups like the UK’s cyber center say we might have to live with it and just manage it better. As more companies make AI that acts on its own, like Perplexity’s Comet or others, everyone will need to step up their game. For users, it’s smart to learn about these risks, use safety features, and not rely too much on AI for important things without checking.
OpenAI’s take is honest: They can’t promise to wipe out prompt injections, but they’re fighting hard with smart tools and quick fixes. As AI browsers become more common, this will be a key area to watch. It could shape how we use the web in the future, making it more helpful but also needing more caution. Stay tuned for more updates as OpenAI and others keep improving.
