Atomic force spectroscopy and microscopy (AFM) are invaluable tools to characterize nanostructures and biological systems. Most experiments, including state--of--the--art images of molecular bonds, are achieved by driving probes at their mechanical resonance. This resonance reaches the MHz for the fastest AFM micro--cantilevers, with typical motion amplitude of a few nanometres. Next--generation investigations of molecular scale dynamics, including faster force imaging and higher--resolution spectroscopy of dissipative interactions, require more bandwidth and vibration amplitudes below interatomic distance, for non--perturbative short--range tip--matter interactions. Probe frequency is a key parameter to improve bandwidth while reducing Brownian motion, allowing large signal-to--noise for exquisite resolution. Optomechanical resonators reach motion detection at 10 --18 m.Hz --1/2 , while coupling light to bulk vibration modes whose frequencies largely surpass those of cantilevers. Here we introduce an optically operated resonating optomechanical atomic force probe of frequency 2 decades above the fastest functional AFM cantilevers while Brownian motion is 4 orders below. Based on a Silicon--On--Insulator technology, the probe demonstrates high--speed sensing of contact and non--contact interactions with sub-picometre driven motion, breaking open current locks for faster and finer atomic force spectroscopy.

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