Updated
Updated · CNET · Aug 18
Google Launches Gemini in Chrome for Android, Adds Auto Browse for U.S. AI Pro and Ultra Users
Updated
Updated · CNET · Aug 18

Google Launches Gemini in Chrome for Android, Adds Auto Browse for U.S. AI Pro and Ultra Users

3 articles · Updated · CNET · Aug 18

Summary

  • Gemini in Chrome is now live on Android, bringing page summaries, question-answering and image generation to Google’s mobile browser after debuting on desktop earlier this year.
  • Google said the rollout extends Gemini’s in-browser utility by letting users tap select apps such as Calendar and Keep without leaving a tab, and use Nano Banana to create images from page content.
  • Auto browse arrives alongside it for U.S.-based Android users on AI Pro or AI Ultra plans, allowing Gemini to handle tasks such as booking tickets and updating orders while requiring explicit approval for sensitive actions like payments.
  • Google framed the launch around safety, saying it trained Gemini to detect threats including prompt injections, which can manipulate chatbots into exposing sensitive data.
  • The release pushes Google further into agentic AI on smartphones, even as recent cases of overreaching agents have highlighted the risk of unintended actions.

Insights

As Gemini takes over your Android browser to perform multi-step errands, are we witnessing the end of traditional web surfing?
Could Google's new Chrome AI agent secretly expose your personal data while automatically booking your travel plans?
With AI now editing images and managing online orders directly in Chrome, who is truly controlling your digital life?