Google’s AI helped fix more Chrome bugs in June than in the past two years
▼ Summary
– Google patched 1,072 security bugs in Chrome versions 149 and 150, more than the 1,036 bugs fixed in the previous 23 versions over two years.
– The increase is attributed to Google’s internal AI tools, which have automated vulnerability discovery at an industrial scale.
– Google’s director of engineering stated that LLMs like Gemini have transformed cybersecurity economics, enabling preemptive fixes.
– Microsoft also saw a record 570 bug fixes in a month, citing its own use of AI for the jump.
– Apple has not shown a similar exponential increase, patching 482 bugs in 2026, roughly on pace with prior years.
Thanks to its internal AI tools, Google reports that it has resolved more security vulnerabilities in its Chrome browser last month than it did over the previous two years combined. The company announced on Thursday that it has addressed a staggering 1,072 security bugs across the two most recent Chrome versions, both released in June. That figure eclipses the total of 1,036 fixes applied to the prior 23 versions over the last two years.
Since the rise of large language models (LLMs), cybersecurity experts have warned that AI-powered systems would uncover an increasingly and exponentially vast number of bugs, forcing defenders to also adopt AI to stay ahead of malicious hackers. That forecast is now materializing, backed by concrete data. A chart published by Google, included in a white paper detailing its AI-driven bug discovery and patching efforts, illustrates this exponential surge. For context, Chrome 126 launched in June 2024, while the newest releases, Chrome 149 and 150, arrived just last month. Google refers to each version as a “milestone.”
Doug Turner, Chrome’s director of engineering, told TechCrunch in a statement that LLMs have “fundamentally shifted the economics of cybersecurity, transforming vulnerability discovery into an automated, industrial-scale operation.” He added, “By applying models like Gemini, we are preemptively fixing vulnerabilities, outpacing our adversaries and making Chrome safer with every update.”
Google isn’t alone in witnessing this trend. Earlier this month, Microsoft announced it had patched a record 570 security flaws across its product lines during its monthly “Patch Tuesday” cycle, attributing the sharp increase to its own use of AI. Apple, however, does not appear to be experiencing a similar exponential rise. An independent tally of bugs fixed in Apple’s products shows the company has patched 482 bugs in 2026, roughly on track to match or exceed last year’s total, and comparable to the number of bugs Apple fixed in 2015. TechCrunch reached out to Apple for comment but did not receive a response.
(Source: TechCrunch)
