Over the last year, we’ve seen a number of AI browsers from companies like OpenAI, Perplexity, Opera, and The Browser Company aiming to replace Chrome with features like sidebar assistants and automated tasks. Now, Google is enhancing its AI capabilities by adding similar features to Chrome, the world’s largest browser by market share.
Google introduced Gemini to Chrome last September, but the assistant existed in a floating window. With this update, the company will put an AI helper in a persistent sidebar, so you can ask questions about your current website or other open tabs.
One interesting feature that Google demoed to the press ahead of today’s announcement involves multiple tabs. When you open different tabs from a single web page, Gemini sidebar recognizes them as a context group. This is useful when comparing prices of different products you are considering purchasing.
Until today, the Gemini in Chrome feature was only available to Windows and macOS users. With this rollout, Chromebook Plus users will also be able to take advantage of the sidebar.
Google is also leveraging its newly launched Personal Intelligence feature. This feature connects to your Gmail, Search, YouTube, and Google Photos accounts and lets you ask questions based on your data. This feature will be rolling out to Chrome in the coming months. That means you’ll be able to ask Gemini about things like your family’s schedule in the sidebar, or ask it to draft and send emails without switching to Gmail.
Chrome also has a new Nano Banana integration that lets you change existing images with different images or products you find while browsing.
The most ambitious feature, however, is one called Auto-Browse, which aims to use your personal information to handle tasks by traversing websites on your behalf. For example, you can ask your agent functionality to visit a particular website to purchase products and find discount coupons. The agent asks for user intervention when performing data-sensitive tasks, such as logging into a website or making a final purchase.
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The company explained last year that these features use Chrome’s password manager and saved card details, but said its AI models are not exposed to these details.
This feature will first roll out to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US.
Browser-based agents are finicky and often fail to complete tasks. Google’s demo, like many other AI demos, included shopping and travel planning. In real-world use cases, agents often fail to understand intent or get interrupted while navigating through different sites, which poses challenges for widespread adoption.
In early testing, users used the feature for tasks such as arranging appointments, filling out tedious online forms, gathering tax documents, getting quotes from plumbers and electricians, and submitting expense reports, the company said.
The company said Gemini sidebar support and Nano Banana integration will be available starting today, and personal intelligence features will be available in the “coming months.”
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