Chrome’s Latest Update Adds 3 AI Features, Including ‘Nano Banana’
▼ Summary
– Chrome has been updated with three new AI features: an AI side panel, agentic Auto Browse, and Nano Banana image editing.
– The new AI side panel allows users to interact with Gemini for tasks like summarizing content or comparing options without leaving their current browser window.
– The Auto Browse feature is a subscription-based agentic AI that can perform actions like researching travel, finding products in images, and even logging into sites with permission.
– The Nano Banana feature enables users to directly edit images within the browser window via the side panel without downloading or uploading them.
– This update builds on previous integrations, connecting Chrome’s AI to Google services like Calendar and Gmail as part of a broader personalization initiative.
Google’s Chrome browser has received a significant update, integrating three new AI-powered features designed to enhance productivity and streamline online tasks. This refresh brings more of the Gemini AI capabilities directly into Chrome for users on Windows, MacOS, and Chromebook Plus devices. The additions include an AI side panel for multitasking, an agentic Auto Browse function, and a novel image editing tool called Nano Banana.
A new AI side panel allows users to open a persistent chat session with Gemini without needing to switch between multiple browser tabs. Google positions this as a major time-saver for complex tasks. Early testers reportedly used the feature for activities like comparing products across numerous websites, summarizing lengthy reviews from different sources, and managing busy schedules by finding available time slots in chaotic calendars. It’s important to note that users must explicitly opt-in to use this chat feature, consenting to share their URLs and browser data with Google to enable the AI’s contextual understanding.
Perhaps the most visually striking addition is the Nano Banana tool. Accessible through the AI side panel, it lets users modify any image displayed in their browser window through simple text commands. There’s no need for the traditional workflow of copying, downloading, or uploading files; the AI edits the image directly on the webpage. For instance, a user could ask it to change the color of a car in a photo or remove an unwanted object, with the changes appearing instantly.
The third feature, called Auto Browse, is available exclusively to subscribers of Google’s AI Pro and Ultra service tiers. This represents a shift toward agentic AI, where the system can take actions on the user’s behalf. It’s designed to handle multi-step research tasks, such as comparing hotel and flight prices across a set of dates, obtaining quotes for services, or verifying if bills have been paid. Being multimodal, Auto Browse can also identify objects within a photo, like a piece of furniture or clothing, then search the web to find where to buy them, automatically adding items to a shopping cart and applying relevant discount codes. With user permission, the AI agent can even access saved passwords to log into online stores to complete these actions.
This update builds upon earlier enhancements to Chrome’s AI. In January, Google announced upgrades that allowed Chrome’s AI to connect with various apps like Calendar, Gmail, Google Shopping, Flights, Maps, and YouTube. These integrations are part of Google’s broader Personal Intelligence initiative, which the company describes as a foundational step toward creating a more proactive and personalized AI assistant.
In a related development, Google recently published research on a method for on-device AI to extract user intent directly from browser activity. This technology aims to enable more personalized and anticipatory responses from AI assistants, signaling a future where AI built into the browser itself can better understand and act on a user’s goals without compromising privacy through constant cloud data transmission.
(Source: Search Engine Journal)
