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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 about 4 GB in size, onto users' computers. The matter has sparked significant criticism among privacy experts, and now Google itself has responded. 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 user consent
The whole situation was brought to light by privacy researcher Alexander Hanff, who discovered that Chrome downloads Gemini Nano in the background without explicit user consent. Moreover, manually deleting the files caused them to be 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. Instead, user queries are sent to Google’s cloud. This means that users incur the cost of downloading several gigabytes of data and occupying storage space, even though the main AI features still operate online. Critics have also begun to highlight potential legal issues in Europe, especially in the context of regulations regarding consent for data storage on users' devices.
Google claims that Gemini Nano is important for Chrome security
Parisa Tabriz, the head of Google Chrome, commented on the matter. According to her, Gemini Nano will be a key component in the development of AI features that operate locally on the device starting in 2024. The company explains that the model helps, among other things, in detecting fraud and analyzing threats without the need to send user data to Google servers. Google also emphasizes that the model can automatically uninstall itself when there is low free disk space. However, the company has yet to provide a clear answer as to why the system downloads files again after they are manually deleted and why users initially did not receive clear information about the installation. According to Google, the feature can currently be disabled in Chrome settings, and then the model should not return.
The automatic installation of Gemini Nano has sparked another major debate around privacy and AI in web browsers. Google justifies its actions in the name of security, but many users continue to criticize the lack of clear consent and the system's operation.
source: digitaltrends
