What does your feature entail? What is it for?
Enable the "New thread" button (pen icon in the top right of the sidebar) to function as a standard hyperlink, supporting conventional browser interactions for opening links in new tabs. This includes:
Ctrl+Click (Cmd+Click on Mac) to open a new thread in a background tab
Right-click context menu with "Open link in new tab" option
Middle-click to open in new tab (where supported by the browser)
Currently, the button only supports single-click navigation, which replaces the current tab rather than opening a new one.
How will it affect existing workflows or user experience?
This change would significantly improve multitasking workflows. Users frequently need to start a fresh assistant conversation whilst maintaining their current thread for reference or comparison. The current behaviour forces users to choose between losing their current conversation or manually managing multiple windows.
By supporting standard browser conventions, users can maintain multiple parallel conversations in separate tabs, switching between them seamlessly. This is especially valuable when:
Exploring related but distinct topics simultaneously
Comparing different assistant responses side-by-side
Keeping a reference thread open whilst starting a new investigation
What are the exact ways that you see a user using your proposed feature?
Scenario 1: Parallel Research
A user is in an assistant thread researching "world cup rules". Midway through, they want to start a fresh thread about "historic introduction of penalty shoot outs" without losing the initial thread. They instinctively Ctrl+Click the "New thread" icon, expecting it to open in a new background tab. Instead of the current behaviour (replacing the current tab), a new thread would open in a new tab, allowing them to switch between both conversations using browser tabs.
Scenario 2: Comparison Workflow
A user is drafting content in one thread and wants to open a second thread to brainstorm alternative approaches. They Ctrl+Click "New thread" to open a fresh conversation in a new tab, then use Alt+Tab or browser tab switching to compare outputs from both threads side-by-side.
Scenario 3: Context Preservation
A user is deep into a complex multi-turn conversation. They have a tangential question that warrants a separate thread. Rather than navigating away and losing their place, they right-click the "New thread" icon, select "Open link in new tab," and continue their original conversation uninterrupted.
Implementation in Other Applications:
This is standard across virtually all web applications:
Gmail: The "Compose" button supports Ctrl+Click to open new compose windows in separate tabs
Google Docs: The "New document" button opens in a new tab when Ctrl+Clicked
Notion: The "New page" button follows standard link behaviour
VS Code Web: The "New file" button supports opening in new tabs via standard browser conventions
All modern browsers: Any hyperlink (<a> tag) natively supports Ctrl+Click, right-click context menus, and middle-click by default
How it extends the existing feature:
The "New thread" button's core function remains unchanged—creating a new conversation. This enhancement simply makes it accessible through standard browser interactions, removing friction from the user experience. It transforms the button from a navigation element into a true hyperlink, which is the web standard for this type of action.
