Key Takeaways Google rolls out Gemini AI to all Chrome users in the US, dropping previous subscription requirements. Agentic browsing capabilities coming soon will allow AI to handle tasks like bookin...
Google announced Thursday what it calls "the biggest upgrade to Chrome in its history," introducing ten artificial intelligence features powered by its Gemini AI model to Mac and Windows desktop users in the United States. The move represents a significant escalation in the browser wars as tech giants compete to control how users access and interact with online information.
Google is adding more artificial intelligence into its Chrome browser as the search giant tries to fend off burgeoning competition from AI startups OpenAI and Perplexity. Previously limited to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, Gemini in Chrome is now freely available to all US users with their browser language set to English.
"We are evolving the browser to help you get the most from the web - in ways we didn't think possible even a few years ago," said Rick Osterloh, Google's senior vice president in charge of platforms and devices, in a statement. "And we are doing it while keeping the speed, simplicity and safety of Chrome that so many people love."
Google also announced new agentic capabilities for Gemini in Chrome. Agentic AI allows users to build customized services that can perform specific jobs. In the coming months, users will be able to delegate routine tasks to the AI assistant, such as booking haircuts or ordering weekly groceries.
The agentic features were previously part of an internal service called "Project Mariner," which was popular with employees. This capability represents a shift toward browsers that can act autonomously on behalf of users, rather than simply displaying web content.
"You tell Gemini in Chrome what you want to get done, and it acts on web pages on your behalf, while you focus on other things. It can be stopped at any time so you're in control," Google explained in its blog post.
Chrome is introducing AI Mode directly in the browser's address bar, allowing users to ask complex questions and receive AI-generated responses without navigating to Google's search page.
"AI Mode allows you to ask longer, more complex questions and get a helpful AI response, with the ability to easily ask follow up questions and dive deeper on the web. This update will be rolling out later this month in English in the U.S. and expanding to more countries and languages in the weeks ahead," according to Google's announcement.
The browser will also suggest contextual questions based on the current page to help users discover relevant information more easily.
Chrome's security features are receiving significant AI enhancements. Safe Browsing's Enhanced Protection mode already uses Gemini Nano to help identify tech support scams that try to trick you into downloading harmful software. S
oon, we'll be expanding this protection to also stop sites that use fake viruses or fake giveaways to trick you, according to Google's blog post.
Additionally, Chrome will use AI as a password agent to go a step further, letting you change your saved passwords with a single click on supported sites, like Coursera, Spotify, Duolingo, H&M and more.
Internet browsers are at the center of the battle for consumer AI supremacy because they serve as a key gateway to accessing information and content online. Google's announcement comes as competitors are launching their own AI-powered browsing solutions.
In January, OpenAI announced Operator, an agent that uses a browser to complete tasks, such as shopping using the Instacart app. The company is reportedly working on its own browser built upon the open-source Chromium code base.
Last month, Anthropic launched a browser-based artificial intelligence agent powered by its Claude AI models. Perplexity debuted its browser Comet in July for AI tasks, making it available to paying subscribers.
The timing of Google's announcement is particularly significant, coming just two weeks after the company successfully defended against an antitrust case that could have forced it to divest Chrome. However, the judge in the case recently decided Google could keep Chrome, in large part because generative AI has dramatically changed the competitive landscape.
According to Mike Torres, Google vice president of product, who wrote in a blog post, enterprise users will gain access to these features through Google Workspace "in the coming weeks" with "enterprise-grade data protections."
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