Google Chrome becomes native AI browser with Gemini-powered tools built into address bar

Reviewed byNidhi Govil

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Google Chrome is embedding AI Mode directly into its address bar, marking the browser's most significant upgrade. Users can now access Gemini-powered tools for multi-tab analysis, scam detection, and instant AI answers without leaving the browser. This positions Chrome as a direct competitor to ChatGPT Atlas and Perplexity's Comet.

Google Chrome Embeds AI Mode Directly Into Address Bar

Google Chrome is undergoing its most significant transformation, evolving from a passive web browser into a native AI browser with Gemini-powered tools embedded directly into the browsing experience. The company has rolled out advanced AI-based features that fundamentally change how users interact with the web, placing AI Mode accessible from the address bar—what Google calls the omnibox

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. Instead of navigating to Google.com and clicking into AI Mode, users can now trigger it straight from Chrome's address bar by typing @aimode or clicking an AI Mode button on the New Tab Page

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. This AI Mode integration represents a shift toward making Chrome an AI-driven productivity hub rather than just a tool for accessing websites.

Source: Digital Trends

Source: Digital Trends

The new implementation opens as a "Contextual Tasks" page inside Google Chrome, allowing users to type queries, upload PDFs or images, and receive answers all within the same window

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. Testing in Chrome Canary builds reveals that the native AI browser experience operates via an internal address, indicating it's not being powered by Google Search in the traditional sense. This self-contained approach means users can ask complex questions, attach files, and get Gemini responses without leaving the browser or opening multiple tabs.

Source: Gadgets 360

Source: Gadgets 360

Multi-Tab Analysis and Enhanced Productivity Features

Beyond AI in Chrome's address bar, Google has introduced multi-tab analysis capabilities that allow the AI browser to compare and summarize content across multiple open tabs seamlessly

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. When an open tab is selected and AI Mode is queried about it, the tool can summarize the webpage correctly without redirecting to another page

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. Additional features include Tab History Recall, which helps users track and revisit their browsing activities, and deeper integration with Google's ecosystem apps like Calendar, Maps, and YouTube. Users can ask Google's AI to fetch data from their Calendar for meeting schedules or check distances on Maps while researching destinations, all without switching contexts

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The AI-powered browsing assistants also support image generation through Nano Banana or Nano Banana Pro for users with active Google AI Pro or Ultra subscriptions

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. This means users can generate images directly within the internal page without opening Search or any other external tool. These Gemini-powered tools are being marketed as native browser features rather than extensions, suggesting they will become integral to the browsing experience moving forward

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Security Enhancements and Scam Detection

Security represents a critical component of Chrome's AI transformation. The browser now includes enhanced scam detection capabilities that identify malicious content on the go, smart notification filtering to reduce distractions, and one-click password changes to streamline security management

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. These features leverage Gemini models to analyze web content in real-time, helping users stay safer online without requiring additional security software or manual verification steps. The agentic browsing assistant can also handle contextual page questions, allowing users to interrogate website content directly through the AI interface.

Competing With OpenAI and Perplexity

This strategic move positions Google Chrome as a direct alternative to OpenAI's ChatGPT Atlas and Perplexity's Comet browser

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. While those platforms have integrated AI-powered searches into their browsing experiences, Chrome's advantage lies in its massive existing user base and deep integration with Google's services. The ability to access tabs and summarize content is similar to what Perplexity's Comet and ChatGPT Atlas offer

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, but Google's implementation benefits from years of search expertise and the Gemini model's capabilities.

For site owners and SEO professionals, this shift carries significant implications. Getting found online now requires optimizing for how AI surfaces and links to content, not just ranking high on traditional results pages

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. Website visibility will increasingly depend on how well content answers direct questions and provides context that AI models can parse and present to users. This represents a fundamental change in user search habits, as AI Mode delivers direct answers instead of lists of blue links.

Rollout and Future Expansion

The new AI-based tools are currently available to Google Chrome users in the United States, with the feature rolling out on desktop and Android tablets

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. On mobile devices, users will see AI Mode shortcuts appear in the web browser's search bar or as floating buttons. Google plans to expand geographic and language support in the near future, though specific timelines haven't been announced

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Source: Phandroid

Source: Phandroid

Testing in Chrome Canary builds reveals some areas remain incomplete, with placeholder text like "[i18n] Ask Google..." appearing in the interface, and certain features not working reliably yet

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. This suggests the feature is still under active development. Google is also working on a separate "Gemini in Chrome" toolbar button that can summarize pages and help users navigate sites, indicating the browser is gradually becoming an AI-first tool

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. These features were initially announced in September but are only now rolling out to users

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. The transformation marks Chrome's evolution into a productivity hub where AI handles understanding, summarizing, and acting on information, reducing the time users spend toggling between tabs to find answers or organize data.

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