Google Chrome Might Have Installed an AI Model Onto Your Device Without You Knowing

You might not have asked for an AI model on your computer, but you might have gotten it anyway. Google Chrome has been installing a 4GB model onto devices without asking or notifying users.

Google has been installing Gemini Nano — an AI model that runs on devices like smartphones and laptops instead of in the cloud — onto some people’s Chrome browsers, without their permission, according to Alexander Hanff, a Swedish computer scientist and lawyer known as That Privacy Guy. And Google doesn’t tell you that it’s on your device after it’s installed.

Hanff said Gemini Nano will only be installed if the person’s device meets the hardware requirements. It’s unknown how many people have gotten the install.

Gemini Nano performs tasks such as detecting scam phone calls, helping you write text messages, summarizing recordings and analyzing Pixel phone screenshots. It’s not to be confused with the AI Mode pill in the address bar. If you use AI Mode, your queries are routed to Google Gemini…