Google announced on Thursday that it is rolling out its Gemini AI assistant to all Mac and Windows desktop users in the United States. This capability was previously limited to subscribers of Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra. The company also announced a series of new AI-powered features coming to the Chrome browser.
U.S. users with their language set to English can now ask Gemini to clarify complex information on any webpage using the Gemini icon in the top-right corner of the Chrome window. For example, a user could open a page with a banana bread recipe and ask Gemini to modify it to be gluten-free.
Gemini can now also work across multiple open tabs, allowing users to compare and summarize information from multiple websites. This could help with planning a trip across flight and hotel sites or comparing different products while shopping online. In the future, Gemini will be able to retrieve web pages you have previously visited, making it easier to return to past browsing sessions without searching through your browser history. You could ask questions like “On which site did I see the walnut desk last week?”.
A deeper integration between Gemini in Chrome and other Google apps like Calendar, YouTube, and Maps is also being launched. This will allow users to schedule meetings, see location details, and more without leaving their current page. For example, you could ask Gemini to find a specific moment in a YouTube video.
Google notes that Gemini will soon be able to complete tedious tasks autonomously, such as booking a haircut or ordering weekly groceries. The AI will navigate to the site, add items to your cart, and then let you complete the final checkout action with your payment method. These new agentic capabilities are expected to arrive in the coming months.
Google is also bringing its AI Mode search feature directly into the Chrome address bar. With AI Mode, users can ask complex questions with follow-ups to dig deeper into topics. Instead of a simple search for “best mattress,” you could type a detailed query like “I’m a side sleeper with occasional lower back pain, make me a table comparing the different mattress types”. This update will begin rolling out later this month in English in the U.S.
Also coming to the address bar is the ability to ask questions about the page you are currently viewing. Chrome will suggest relevant questions based on the page’s context to kickstart a search, providing an AI Overview and the option for follow-up questions.
Google says Chrome will soon use its Gemini Nano model to detect and protect against AI-generated scams, such as fake virus alerts and fraudulent giveaways that impersonate trusted brands. Additionally, Google announced an automatic password reset feature. If Chrome warns you that your password was exposed in a data breach on a supported site, you can allow it to create and save a new one for you with a single click.