Google on Wednesday announced a major expansion of Gemini AI features inside Chrome, signalling a clear shift toward positioning the browser as an AI-powered assistant rather than just a gateway to the web.
The new additions include Gemini-based image generation via Nano Banana, deeper personalisation through Google’s “Personal Intelligence” feature, and a new agentic tool called Auto browse. Together, they mark Google’s most explicit attempt yet to frame Chrome as an AI browser.
A redesigned Chrome interface will also introduce a persistent panel on the right-hand side of the browser, keeping the Gemini chatbot available as users move across websites.
Auto browse brings agentic AI directly into Chrome
The most notable addition is Auto browse, an AI agent that allows users to issue a single prompt and have Chrome perform actions across multiple websites.
Google says Auto browse can handle tasks such as researching hotels across different dates, comparing flights, ordering groceries, or filtering saved listings on real estate sites. One example shared by the company involved asking Chrome to review favourited apartments on Redfin and remove any that are not pet-friendly.
Initially, Auto browse will be available to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US.
The feature reflects a broader industry push toward agentic AI, where systems move beyond answering questions to actively carrying out tasks on a user’s behalf.
Personalisation is central to Google’s AI browser strategy
Google is also expanding “Personal Intelligence” into Chrome, a feature that connects Gemini to user data across apps such as Gmail and Google Photos.
According to Parisa Tabriz, vice president of Chrome, the browser will be able to remember context from past conversations, allowing Gemini to deliver more tailored responses over time. Users can also set specific instructions to shape how the assistant behaves.
Chrome’s AI push comes as browser competition intensifies
Google’s renewed focus on AI browsers comes as competition in the space sharpens. OpenAI launched its own browser, Atlas, in October, built around ChatGPT as the primary interface. That launch briefly knocked Alphabet shares down by 2 percent, highlighting investor sensitivity around browser competition.
Browsers are increasingly seen as the most valuable surface for AI adoption, offering constant user engagement and direct access to web activity. Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic are all racing to own that layer.
Google’s moves also follow a US district court ruling last year that found the company holds an illegal monopoly in search, with Chrome playing a central role in that ecosystem. While Google has appealed the ruling, it has simultaneously been adding AI features to Chrome that tightly integrate services like Calendar, Maps, and YouTube.
The AI browser era is taking shape
With Gemini now embedded more deeply into Chrome, Google is making it clear that it sees the future browser not as a passive tool, but as an active AI assistant.
As rivals experiment with entirely new browser models, Google’s strategy appears to be one of rapid retrofit, turning the world’s most popular browser into an AI-first product without forcing users to switch platforms. Whether that’s enough to hold off a new generation of AI browsers is the next big question.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
