The AI boom has brought an incessant race to launch new features or risk falling behind. Google, while a little slow to AI developments, is now making up for lost ground with a wave of innovations under its Gemini AI project.
The company has now announced a sweeping update for Chrome, introducing six new AI-driven features that promise to make your browser not just a window to the web, but a full-fledged assistant.
According to Google, these upgrades will help users manage complex tasks, handle creative projects, and even complete multi-step workflows, all without ever leaving their Chrome window.
Available on macOS, Windows, and Chromebook Plus devices, here is the list of new features that can transform your Chrome into an assistant.
Auto browse and multitasking side panels
Leading the charge is Auto Browse, Chrome’s most significant leap since autofill. Think of it as your proactive digital intern, one that can handle dull chores like renewing your driver’s licence, filing expenses, or checking if bills are paid.
The feature uses what Google calls agentic AI capabilities, designed to perform multi-step workflows autonomously.
Available initially for Gemini AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, Auto Browse can even request quotes from service providers or collect tax documents on your behalf. However, Google insists it’s not giving the browser free rein; some actions, like making payments or posting on social media, will still pause for user confirmation.
Alongside Auto Browse, Chrome’s new multitasking side panel brings Gemini directly into the browser window, much like Microsoft Edge’s Copilot panel. Users can now keep their main tab open for work while letting Gemini juggle side tasks—be it summarising emails, generating reports, or researching travel plans.
Nano Banana, Connected Apps, and Personal Intelligence
The strangest name on the list, Nano Banana, might be Chrome’s most creative addition.
The new model allows users to instantly transform photos found on the web, applying edits or creative filters without downloading them or opening a separate editor. It’s a playful yet powerful step that could make Chrome a hub for quick visual experimentation.
Then there’s Connected Apps, which tightens Chrome’s relationship with Google’s ecosystem—planning a trip? Gemini can pull details from old Gmail threads, cross-check flight options on Google Flights, and even draft a summary email, all without you lifting a finger. The deeper “read and write” access essentially lets the assistant move data smoothly across apps, saving users from endless copy-paste loops.
Rounding out the list is Personal Intelligence, a feature that adds memory to your browser. Launching in the coming months, it allows Chrome to recall past conversations and preferences, offering contextual help based on your habits. Think of it as Gemini developing a personality, one that actually remembers what you asked it last week.
And because no Google update is complete without a nod to security, Chrome’s visual search is getting smarter and safer. Using Gemini 3’s multimodal capabilities, the browser can now “see” what’s on your screen to help you shop or identify products, powered by the new Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) co-developed with Shopify, Etsy, and Wayfair.
With these updates, Google is clearly trying to make Chrome feel less like a browser and more like a productivity command centre. Whether it’s simplifying daily admin, editing visuals on the fly, or turning online searches into automated workflows, the new Gemini-powered Chrome aims to do it all, without the user ever opening another tab.
