News: 0179352504

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Google Adds Gemini To Chrome Desktop Browser for US Users (blog.google)

(Thursday September 18, 2025 @05:01PM (msmash) from the aggressive-expansion dept.)


Google has added Gemini features to Chrome for all desktop users in the US browsing in English following a limited release to paying subscribers in May. The update introduces a Gemini button in the browser that launches a chatbot capable of [1]answering questions about page content and synthesizing information from multiple tabs . Users can remove the Gemini sparkle icon from Chrome's interface.

Google will add its AI Mode search feature to Chrome's address bar before September ends. The feature will suggest prompts based on webpage content but won't replace standard search functionality. Chrome on Android already includes Gemini features. The company plans to add agentic capabilities in coming months that would allow Gemini to perform tasks like adding items to online shopping carts by controlling the browser cursor.



[1] https://blog.google/products/chrome/chrome-reimagined-with-ai/



Why? (Score:1)

by Quakeulf ( 2650167 )

And (also, but not limited to) why?

Re: (Score:2)

by RitchCraft ( 6454710 )

Crap, meet turd. Full enshitification reached. Score.

Re: (Score:2)

by Valgrus Thunderaxe ( 8769977 )

Removed it from my apt sources just now. I'll stick with whatever I have now.

Re: (Score:2)

by Powercntrl ( 458442 )

> And (also, but not limited to) why?

Google is an advertising company, so they're probably using data they collect via your interactions with their AI in order to... you guessed it... show you ads.

Users can remove the sparkle icon (Score:2)

by devslash0 ( 4203435 )

Let's state the obvious. For now.

Noticed this in firefox too (Score:1)

by Anonymous Coward

Firefox's sidebar has the **sparkle** button, which I only noticed a while ago. I don't know how well it integrates because I haven't used it.

I think in time, the **sparkle** will seem as quaint and outdated as "information superhighway" or "multimedia"

Lovely (Score:1)

by SmaryJerry ( 2759091 )

Now we can have AI hallucinations built right in. Do you know how annoying it is to tell my boss that 90% of what he is reading in ChatGPT is wrong and that you only get good answers by asking it the right way.

Re: (Score:2)

by Powercntrl ( 458442 )

> Do you know how annoying it is to tell my boss that 90% of what he is reading in ChatGPT is wrong and that you only get good answers by asking it the right way.

Me: Is there a non-zero chance that Elon Musk is actually a lizard in a human suit?

ChatGPT: Short answer: logically - yes (almost anything logically possible has a non-zero probability).

Headline: ChatGPT says Elon Musk is a lizard in a human suit.

It's all about selling you crap (Score:2)

by devslash0 ( 4203435 )

Agentic shopping. Of course. Because apparently all we do via our browsers is shopping. Pull your head out of your arse, Google.

Hey, what do you expect from a culture that *drives* on *parkways* and
*parks* on *driveways*?
-- Gallagher