Chrome's 4GB AI Model Isn't New, but You're Not Wrong for Being Confused

Chrome AI privacy wording changed. Should users worry?

Google has changed Chrome's disclosure language about how its on-device AI works, but that doesn't mean the company intends to capture on-device AI interactions. The Chrome menu modification, which isn't universally rolled out yet even in Chrome 148, was noted this week on Reddit. The "On-device AI" message in Chrome's System settings previously read, "To power features like scam detection, Chrome can use AI models that run directly on your devi…

Here's how I finally got Google's uninvited 4GB AI model off my Mac

Without notice or consent, Chrome has been downloading the hefty Gemini Nano model to run AI locally on your computer. Removing it can require minor surgery.

Google Chrome secretly installs 4GB AI model

Google Chrome has been silently installing a 4GB AI model called Gemini Nano on users’ devices without consent, a researcher found. Google Chrome is silently installing a 4GB AI model on users’ devices without consent, a researcher found. Privacy researcher…

Google Chrome Drops On-Device AI Privacy Pledge Amid Silent Model Downloads

Google Chrome quietly altered text in its settings this week. The change removes a direct assurance that its on-device AI model keeps user data away from company servers. Privacy researcher Alexander Hanff spotted the edit days after he exposed how the browser downloads a 4GB Gemini Nano model without asking first. The discovery has stirred fresh doubts about how Google handles local AI. Users expect on-device processing to mean exactly that. No…

Chrome's 4GB AI model isn't new, but you're not wrong for being confused

All of Google's products have been getting more AI features, including Chrome, which now offers split-screen Gemini chatbot support, the ability to automate web browsing, and more. Some desktop Chrome users have also noted that the browser appears to suddenly want more storage space for AI. This is true—Chrome does download a 4GB AI model for on-device processing. It's been doing that for years, though. Google hasn't actually changed anything ab…

How to remove Gemini Nano from Chrome (and free up 4GB of storage)

Google Chrome’s “weights.bin” file has been gathering a lot of attention, particularly for its forced, inexplicable, and inescapable nature. This file is responsible for on-device Gemini Nano features and is actually good for your privacy, but users have been looking for ways to opt out of these features, delete the file, and stop it from being redownloaded. Google makes it easy to disable this file and its associated features, but ironically, t…