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Google Chrome has come under fire after it was discovered that the browser automatically downloads the AI model Gemini Nano, which is around 4 GB in size, onto users' computers. The issue has sparked considerable criticism among privacy experts, and now Google itself has weighed in. The company explains that the local AI model is an important element of Chrome's security and the future of AI-based features.
Chrome downloads AI without asking the user
The whole situation was highlighted by privacy researcher Alexander Hanff, who discovered that Chrome downloads Gemini Nano in the background without explicit user consent. Moreover, manually deleting the files resulted in them being re-downloaded after restarting the browser. Particularly controversial was the fact that the most visible AI feature in Chrome, namely "AI Mode" in the address bar, does not actually use a local model. User queries are sent to Google’s cloud. This means that users incur the cost of downloading several gigabytes of data and occupied disk space, even though the main AI functions still operate online. Critics have also begun to point out potential legal issues in Europe, especially regarding regulations on consent for storing data on users' devices.
Google claims that Gemini Nano is important for Chrome's security
Parisa Tabriz, head of Google Chrome, commented on the matter. According to her, Gemini Nano will be a key component in the development of locally operating AI features on the device from 2024 onwards. The company explains that the model assists, among other things, in detecting fraud and analysing threats without the need to send user data to Google’s servers. Google also emphasises that the model can automatically remove itself when there is low free space on the disk. However, the company has still not clearly answered why the system redownloads files after they have been manually deleted or why users initially did not receive clear information about the installation. According to Google, the feature can currently be turned off in the Chrome settings, and the model should no longer reappear.
The automatic installation of Gemini Nano has sparked another major debate around privacy and AI in web browsers. Google justifies its actions with safety concerns, but many users still criticise the lack of clear consent and the way the system operates.
source: digitaltrends
