Google has announced what it calls the biggest upgrade to Chrome in its history, introducing a wide range of Gemini AI-powered features to the browser, and they’re not optional.
AI Becomes Core to Chrome
The new features, now rolling out for desktop users in the US with English set as their Chrome language, are designed to move Chrome beyond being just a browser. According to Google, it’s now a tool that can “understand the web,” take action on the user’s behalf, and surface information across apps and pages without users needing to search manually.
Gemini, Google’s generative AI model, is now embedded directly into Chrome. Once enabled, users can ask Gemini to summarise web pages, compare information across tabs, revisit previously visited sites, or interact with integrated Google apps such as Calendar and Maps without switching tabs. In essence, the browser becomes a conversational assistant.
“Today represents the biggest upgrade to Chrome in its history,” said Google VP Parisa Tabriz. “We’re building Google AI into Chrome across multiple levels so it can better anticipate your needs, help you understand more complex information and make you more productive.”
The update is currently limited to Windows and macOS users in the US, but international rollout is expected in the coming weeks. It will be available to Google Workspace users as well, with enterprise-grade data protections and admin controls.
What Can Gemini in Chrome Actually Do?
At launch, Gemini in Chrome supports the following features:
– Page summarisation, which allows users to simplify the content of any webpage into more digestible points.
– Multi-tab summarisation lets users compare and consolidate information from multiple open tabs into a single overview.
– Web history assistance helps users revisit previously viewed content using natural language prompts such as “What was the article I read last week about walnut desks?”.
– App integration provides access to Google Maps, Calendar and YouTube details directly within Chrome, without switching tabs.
– In-page queries enable users to ask questions about the page they are viewing and receive AI-generated answers directly from the address bar.
Google says the more advanced features are still in development. These include what Google calls agentic browsing, i.e., where Gemini can act on the user’s behalf to complete web-based tasks like booking appointments or ordering groceries. It should be noted here that users still retain control, with the ability to cancel or override these actions at any time.
AI Search for the Address Bar
Another major change is coming to Chrome’s omnibox / the address bar. For example, users will soon see a new AI Mode button on the right-hand side. This feature will allow them to ask more complex questions and receive detailed, AI-generated responses, similar to using Google’s Gemini chatbot.
However, this has prompted concerns among some publishers and SEO professionals. For example, a key question is whether hitting Enter in the omnibox will default to AI answers instead of standard search results. Google has clarified by saying that pressing Enter will still load normal Google Search, while AI Mode will only activate if the user clicks the new button.
Contextual prompts and AI-powered suggestions based on the page being viewed will also be added. For example, when viewing a product page, Chrome might suggest questions like “Is there a warranty for this?” or “What are the delivery times?”.
Safety, Passwords, and Spam
Beyond productivity, Google says AI will also be used to improve safety and reduce online nuisance. For example, Gemini Nano, an efficient AI model designed for device-level tasks, is already part of Chrome’s Enhanced Safe Browsing mode. It detects phishing scams, misleading websites, and so-called “tech support scams” that attempt to trick users into downloading harmful software. This protection is being expanded to cover fake virus alerts and scam giveaways.
Chrome is also using AI to assess and suppress spammy notification requests. Google claims this update has already reduced unwanted notifications by around 3 billion per day for Android users. A similar AI-based signal system will help Chrome decide whether to present website permission requests, such as those asking for camera or location access.
Another new addition is a one-click password changer. Chrome already flags compromised credentials, but now AI will be able to automatically navigate to the password reset page of supported sites and fill in a new secure password with a single click. Supported platforms currently include Spotify, Duolingo, Coursera, and H&M.
Opt-In or Not?
One of the recurring criticisms from both users and commentators is the extent to which these features will be optional. Google has not provided full clarity on whether all AI functions will be opt-in, opt-out, or enabled by default. However, based on recent Chrome behaviour, many expect at least some features to be automatically turned on unless manually disabled.
That raises broader questions about how much of a user’s browsing data could potentially be used to improve AI models. Google says data protections will be built in, particularly for Workspace customers, but has not offered detailed transparency on what personal or behavioural data might be involved in Gemini’s functions across tabs and history.
Mike Torres, Google’s VP of Product for Chrome, commented: “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.”
While that may be reassuring, some users are already asking how easily these features can be disabled altogether, or whether it will be possible to use Chrome without any AI integration at all.
Microsoft’s AI Moves in Notepad
Meanwhile, it seems that Microsoft is quietly transforming Notepad, its long-standing lightweight text editor, into an AI-enhanced writing assistant. The latest update, now available to Windows Insiders, introduces three AI tools – Summarise, Write, and Rewrite.
Microsoft says these tools are context-sensitive and can be accessed via right-click in Notepad. On newer Copilot+ PCs, which include dedicated AI hardware, the models run locally and do not require a subscription. For everyone else, a Microsoft 365 subscription is required, and the AI processing is done in the cloud.
The rewrite tool can change the tone or clarity of a paragraph, summarise long notes, or generate first drafts from basic prompts. Although these features are optional and can be disabled in Notepad’s settings, their arrival marks a significant change in how even the simplest Windows apps are being redesigned for the AI era.
What Does This Mean For Your Business?
Although the rollout is still limited to the US, Google’s direction is now quite clear. It seems that Google sees Chrome as no longer just a gateway to the web, but a platform in which AI takes an active role in what users see, do, and even decide. While many of these features promise genuine time savings and better productivity, the change raises important questions about user control, data handling, and the transparency of AI decision-making. Whether businesses or individuals fully trust Gemini to act on their behalf is likely to depend on how configurable these tools turn out to be once they arrive more widely.
For UK businesses, the developments could offer some clear operational gains, particularly for teams juggling research, cross-tab work, or repetitive browser-based tasks. Deeper integration with Google apps may also benefit firms already embedded in the Workspace ecosystem. However, there will be just as much interest in how these features are governed. For example, firms will need to assess whether data from staff browsers is being used to train AI models, and how easily administrators can enable or restrict access to these tools across teams.
For Microsoft, the story is less dramatic but still significant, i.e., giving Notepad AI capabilities changes expectations of even the simplest applications. The split between free local use on Copilot+ PCs and paid cloud access for everyone else is a change in how AI is being packaged into the Windows environment. Businesses that rely on standardised software deployments may now have to take closer account of hardware and licensing when managing new AI tools, especially if even core utilities like Notepad become divided by capability.
As both tech giants continue to expand AI into familiar software, the trade-offs between convenience, control and commercial interest are becoming harder to ignore. The features may be free at the point of use, but the long-term implications for trust, competition, and user experience are far from settled.
