Google Chrome browser is the last major product of the company to receive its own built-in Gemini features. Today, at the Google I/O conference, the company detailed its plans to introduce an artificial intelligence assistant to Chrome.
Although Gemini can already retrieve information from websites, embedding the assistant in Chrome will allow it to provide information and answer questions about open tabs without the need to switch to another window or application. Instead, Gemini lives in a new menu at the top of the browser window, as well as in the taskbar.
The company sees its assistant as being able to help with tasks that typically require switching between multiple open tabs or scrolling to different parts of a web page. For example, Google has demonstrated how Gemini can give advice on possible dietary changes while browsing a recipe blog. Gemini in the browser can also come in handy when shopping, as it can answer specific questions about products or even summarize reviews.
Initially, Gemini will only be able to answer queries for one open tab, but the company plans to add multi-tab capabilities in a future update. This will allow the assistant to synthesize information from multiple open tabs and answer more complex questions. Gemini in Chrome will also have a Gemini Live feature for those who are more comfortable communicating with the assistant using voice. The company has also promised a future update that will allow Gemini to scroll through web pages on your behalf, such as asking it to skip to a specific step in a recipe. (Notably, this is separate from Google’s other web browser AI, Project Mariner, which is still a research prototype).
Gemini starts rolling out to Chrome users on Mac and Windows today, starting with AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the US. The company has not announced whether it plans to add similar features to Chromebooks or the Chrome mobile app.
