Google is adding more artificial intelligence into its Chrome browser as the search giant tries to fend off burgeoning competition from AI startups OpenAI and Perplexity.
In a blog post Thursday, Google said it's rolling out Gemini in Chrome to users of Mac and Windows computers in the U.S. as well as to mobile devices. Users will be able to ask Gemini for help understanding the contents of a particular webpage, work across tabs, or do more within a single tab, such as schedule a meeting or search for a YouTube video.
"We are evolving the browser to help you get the most from the web - in ways we didn't think possible even a few years ego," said Rick Osterloh, Google's senior vice president in charge of platforms and devices, in a statement. "And we are doing it while keeping the speed, simplicity and safety of Chrome that so many people love."
Internet browsers are at the center of the battle for consumer AI supremacy because they serve as a key gateway to accessing information and content online.
Google and Apple have for years controlled most of the internet distribution points, which is a big reason the U.S. Department of Justice tried to force Google to divest Chrome as part of its antitrust case.
However, the judge in the case recently decided Google could keep Chrome, in large part because generative AI has dramatically changed the competitive landscape.