Chrome Is Changing! Your Browser Is Quietly Becoming an AI Assistant

TradingKey - Tech giant Google is deeply integrating its in-house large language model, Gemini, into Chrome — the world’s most widely used web browser — and rolling out the feature to users across Mac, Windows, and mobile devices in the U.S. with English support. The update will also bring Gemini natively into the iOS Chrome app.

Google has called this the most significant upgrade in Chrome’s history.

The new features allow users to:

• Use Gemini to explain webpage content
• Summarize information across multiple tabs
• Restore recently closed pages
• Seamlessly interact with Google services like Calendar, YouTube, and Maps without switching apps
• Ask complex questions directly from the browser address bar
• Detect scams and phishing attempts
• Quickly change saved passwords on sites like Spotify and Coursera

In the coming weeks, these capabilities will expand to Google Workspace, offering “enterprise-grade data protection” — accelerating AI adoption in productivity environments.

Notably, Google has introduced a new “agent” mode for Gemini. Users can now assign the AI agent to perform complex tasks such as booking a haircut or ordering groceries. This capability, rooted in Google’s internal project “Mariner,” signals a shift in search — from simply retrieving information to taking action on the user’s behalf.

Previously, access to Gemini within Chrome required a subscription. By making it freely available, Google is significantly lowering the barrier to entry, aiming to rapidly grow its user base and collect real-world behavioral data.

The Chrome browser is a natural place to infuse AI technology, said Rick Osterloh, senior vice-president of platforms and devices at Google. “We are evolving the browser to help you get the most from the web,” he said. “And we are doing it while keeping the speed, simplicity and safety of Chrome.”

Although the U.S. Department of Justice had sought to force Google to divest Chrome, the presiding judge ruled that the rise of generative AI has fundamentally reshaped the competitive landscape. The final decision allows Google to retain control over Chrome and Android, but bans certain exclusive contracts with device makers and browser developers. Google may continue paying partners like Apple to set its search engine as default.

It’s worth noting that competitors are moving fast: OpenAI is developing its own browser and has launched an AI agent called “Operator,” while Anthropic and Perplexity have also released AI-powered browsing tools.

Google’s latest move is both defensive and offensive — a strategic push to maintain dominance in the next-generation gateway to the internet.