Gemini in Chrome: New AI features add auto-browsing and image editing

Google is integrating its Gemini AI directly into Chrome, turning the browser into a more active assistant. According to Google's official announcement, the update adds a side panel for multitasking, on-the-fly image editing, and a new feature called 'auto browse' that promises to handle complex tasks for you. The new Gemini in Chrome features are rolling out for MacOS, Windows, and Chromebook Plus, but as always, the most interesting parts come with a catch.

A side panel for everything

The most immediate change is a new Gemini side panel. This sits alongside your main browser window, allowing you to ask questions, summarise articles, or compare product reviews without switching tabs. This is similar to AI assistants in other browsers, but Google is also including a creative tool called 'Nano Banana' in the panel.

This feature lets you edit images directly on a webpage with a text prompt, saving you the hassle of downloading and re-uploading. The name is odd, but the function seems practical enough for quick edits or generating creative ideas.

Auto browse promises to do the work

The headline feature is what Google calls 'agentic action' with a tool named 'auto browse'. In practice, this means Chrome can handle multi-step tasks on your behalf. The examples are ambitious: researching flight and hotel costs for a trip, filling out complex forms, or even finding items from a photo and adding them to a shopping cart.

It is designed to automate the tedious parts of using the web, moving beyond simple autofill for addresses and passwords. This move is part of a wider industry trend, with a potential Apple and Google AI partnership also on the horizon to bring similar features to more devices.

The catch: US-only and subscription required

Before you get too excited about offloading your travel planning to Chrome, there are significant limitations. The 'auto browse' feature is currently rolling out only as a preview in the U.S. and is exclusive to paid Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.

Google has not announced a timeline for a global or UAE-specific rollout. For most users, this powerful new tool remains out of reach for now. This continues a trend of the most advanced AI features being region-locked at launch.

Connected apps and personal intelligence

The new features also lean on deeper integrations with other Google services. Gemini in Chrome can connect to your Gmail, Calendar, and Google Flights to pull context for tasks. This is part of a push towards what Google calls Personal Intelligence, a feature that remembers context from past conversations to give tailored answers.

This builds on the existing Personal Intelligence in Gemini which already has access to your personal data. This integration simply brings that capability directly into the browser, for better or worse.

Gemini in Chrome: UAE availability

The core Gemini in Chrome features, including the side panel and 'Nano Banana' image editing, are rolling out globally for users on MacOS, Windows, and Chromebook Plus. However, the advanced 'auto browse' capability is currently limited to a preview for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States. There is no confirmed date for when this feature will be available in the UAE.

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