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Google The search giant is adding artificial intelligence to its Chrome browser as it tries to avoid the burgeoning competition from AI startup Openai and stumping.
In a blog post Thursday, Google said it is deploying Gemini for Chrome on users and mobile devices on Mac and Windows computers in the US. Users can ask Gemini to understand the content of a particular web page, work across tabs, or perform further within one tab, such as searching for YouTube videos within one tab.
“We’re evolving our browsers to ensure you get the most out of the web — we didn’t think it was possible even a few years ago,” said Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of Google’s platforms and devices, in a statement. “And we do it while maintaining the speed, simplicity and safety of chrome, which so many people love.”
Internet browsers are at the heart of the supreme battle for consumer AI, as they act as an important gateway for accessing information and content online.
Google and apple For years, I have managed most internet distribution points. This is a major reason why the U.S. Department of Justice tried to force Google to sell Chrome as part of its antitrust law.
However, the judge in the case recently determined that Google could keep Chrome. This is because generative AI has dramatically changed the competitive environment.
AI rivals are deploying their browsers to try and control more user experiences. In January, Openai announced an operator, an agent who uses the browser to complete tasks such as shopping using the Instacart app. The company is reportedly working on its own browser built on an open source chrome code base.
Last month, Anthropic launched a browser-based artificial intelligence agent powered by the Claude AI model. Perplexity debuted the browser comet for AI tasks in July, making it available for subscribers’ payments.
Chrome’s new Gemini is deeply integrated with Google apps such as calendars, YouTube, and maps, allowing users to access those services without having to go to another web page.
In a blog post written by Mike Torres, Google’s Vice President of Products, Mike Torres will be available to users of enterprise productivity products, Google Workspace over the coming weeks.
Google has also announced a new agent feature for Chemini. Agent AI allows users to build customized services that can run specific jobs.
In the coming months, users can ask Gemini Agents to perform certain tasks, such as booking haircuts or ordering weekly grocery items. The agent function was part of an internal service called “Project Mariner,” which was previously popular with employees.
Before the announcement on Thursday, Google had to sign up for a specific Google subscription to access Chemini. Now it is widely available with much more features.
Watch: Dan Niles says Google has the best AI apps in the long term
