AI-powered browsing features have become a battleground among browser makers in recent months. OpenAI launched its Atlas browser in October, while Microsoft Edge and Opera have also introduced AI assistants and automated browsing capabilities. And now Google is upping the ante. The company has announced a slew of new AI features fro Chrome, including a persistent sidebar for the Gemini chatbot and "auto browse" capabilities that can perform web tasks on your behalf.


The update moves Gemini from its previous floating window into an always-available side panel on the right side of the browser, which inevitably shrinks the browsing window. Google, however, says the redesign allows you to multitask more easily, since you can keep your main tab open while using the AI assistant for separate tasks, such as comparing products across multiple tabs or summarizing reviews from different websites.

Chrome is also gaining Nano Banana integration, Google's AI image generator. You can now transform images directly in the browser window using text prompts, without needing to download files or switch tabs.

The headline feature though is "auto browse," which is currently rolling out to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S. According to Google, the agentic tool can handle multi-step tasks like researching hotel and flight prices, filling out online forms, scheduling appointments, and managing subscriptions. Google says it can even identify items in a photo, search for similar products, add them to a shopping cart, and apply discount codes. The company says it even does all this while staying within a specified budget.

Auto browse can use Chrome's built-in password manager (with user permission) for tasks requiring login credentials. The feature is designed to pause and ask you for confirmation for sensitive actions like purchases or social media posts, according to the company.


Lastly, Google plans to add "Personal Intelligence" to Chrome in the coming months. The feature lets the browser remember context from past conversations you've had with it and provide more personalized assistance.

Google hasn't specified a Chrome version that will include all of these features, but the company said the Gemini sidebar support and Nano Banana integration are rolling out now as a server-side service update.

This article, "Google Chrome Gets Gemini Side Panel and Agentic Browsing Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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