What you need to know
- Google Chrome is getting a new auto browse feature that lets Gemini handle multi-step browsing tasks on your behalf.
- Auto browse can search flights, hotels, fill forms, schedule appointments, and complete chores that usually take manual effort.
- Gemini can handle complex actions like shopping from images and signing in, with safeguards to prevent misuse.
- The feature is rolling out in preview for AI Pro and AI Ultra users on desktop platforms in the U.S.
Google has just teased a new feature for Google Chrome that could change how you browse the internet by browsing on your behalf.
Google has been integrating Gemini into Chrome for a while now. The company began adding Gemini to Chrome in the second half of last year, allowing users to ask questions about a page and consolidate information across multiple pages. With this new update, however, Google is going a step further by letting Gemini handle complex, multi-step workflows through a new auto browse feature.
We can already use Chrome to autofill credit cards and other information with a single click, but Google says it is now "advancing beyond simple tasks" to enable agentic actions. With auto browse, Gemini can take over multi-step chores and complete them for you.
According to Google, auto browse can handle many mundane tasks. For example, if you are planning a trip, you can search for hotels and flights across different dates to find options that fit your budget and schedule.
Chrome now wants to handle the boring web tasks for you
Similarly, it can help with scheduling appointments, filling out tedious online forms, getting quotes from electricians or plumbers, and even filing expense reports, effectively handling the manual work you would normally do yourself.
Google says auto browse can also handle more complex tasks. For instance, if you are planning a Y2K-inspired party and have an image for reference, you can ask Gemini to analyze what is in the picture, find similar items, and add them to your cart.
If you grant permission to work with Password Manager, auto browse can even sign in to websites and complete actions for you. If you recall, Google had already been prepping the model to prevent Gemini from going rogue.
The feature is rolling out today (Jan. 28) for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. It is not coming to smartphones just yet, as Google says it will be available only on macOS, Windows, and Chromebooks, and only in a preview stage for now. We will share updates as the feature expands to more regions.
Android Central's Take
To be honest, I have never really cared about Gemini's integration into Chrome until now. Most of the tasks it handled previously could just as easily be done by visiting the Gemini website directly, which I often did anyway.
Auto browse is the first time Gemini feels genuinely useful inside Chrome. I hate filling out forms or signing into websites every day, and if Gemini can offload even those simple tasks for me, it could end up being well worth it.
