After enhancing Gmail with artificial intelligence, Google is extending additional Gemini-driven functionalities to its Chrome browser. From this day forward, several updates are being deployed for the platform, accompanied by further improvements expected in the upcoming months.
Among the initial additions is a side panel accessible to everyone using Gemini within Chrome. This panel facilitates ongoing dialogues with the AI model while spanning various browser tabs. The company highlights its value for individuals handling multiple tasks simultaneously. According to Google, participants in testing have applied it for diverse purposes, such as evaluating choices amid numerous open tabs, condensing feedback on products from various websites, and identifying suitable slots for appointments amid disorganized schedules.
Users can also reach the next innovation through this side panel. After its effective launch in the standalone Gemini application, the firm's proprietary image creation tool, Nano Banana, is now integrated directly into the browser. This integration eliminates the necessity of switching to a separate tab for generating AI-based visuals via Gemini. Similarly, modifying an existing picture no longer requires downloading and reuploading files; these actions can now be performed seamlessly from any active tab using the side panel.
In the near future, Google intends to incorporate Personal Intelligence into Chrome, a capability that first appeared in the Gemini app early in January. Upon implementation, it will enable the browser to retain records of previous interactions with Gemini. Consequently, this aims to deliver a more tailored browsing environment. Google describes it as evolving the browser from a standard utility into a reliable companion that comprehends user needs and offers pertinent, anticipatory, and situation-specific support.
At present, Gemini in Chrome includes support for the Connected Apps system, permitting the AI to retrieve data from other Google offerings like Gmail and Calendar. In a media session, a staff member illustrated this by querying Gemini for the schedule of their children's March vacation period. Even without specifying the source, the assistant accurately extracted the details from the worker's email account.
Additionally, Google is offering an early look at an automated navigation tool within Chrome. In the showcased demonstration, a team member requested Gemini to locate and purchase an identical winter coat from a prior season. The AI initially formulated a strategy detailing the optimal approach to fulfill the query. It determined that examining the user's email for the precise style and measurements of the coat would be the starting point, followed by proceeding to online retailers.
As Gemini handled the assignment, the user remained able to navigate Chrome freely. Throughout the procedure, the AI halted at key stages to seek approval before advancing, such as when requiring access credentials or payment information to finalize the transaction.
Based on the presentation, such automated processes may extend the duration of routine online purchases and similar activities compared to manual execution. Google posits that it will particularly benefit those with consistent routines, for example, automating recurring orders of groceries from a delivery provider. Being in an experimental phase, initial users may tolerate the AI's deliberate speed. Currently, participants in the Google AI Pro and Ultra plans located in the United States can access this auto browse option.