Google Chrome stands as the most popular web browser, with a share of 67.97% worldwide (which translates to about 3.62 billion people), at least according to StatCounter. Apple’s Safari comes in a distant second with 17.09%.
In a surprising turn of events, security researcher Alexander Hanff (aka “That Privacy Guy”) has released a damning report claiming that Google Chrome is silently downloading and installing a 4GB embedded AI model on users’ devices without their knowledge or consent (via Tom’s Hardware).
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Alexander Hanff described his findings as a comprehensive look at the patterns of how big tech is using AI features across their portfolios and properties. Although the news of Google Chrome installing a 4GB AI model has sparked controversy, many refer to it as bloatware or spyware, the AI model is actually designed to protect your privacy when using AI features.
In context, navigate to Chrome’s user data folder on your hard drive (C:Users\AppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser Data), you will find a large folder called OptGuideOnDeviceModel contains a large file named “weights.bin.”
weights.bin is Google’s AI model for the Gemini Nano device and is part of Google’s broader strategy to integrate AI technology directly into its Chromium-based browser. Chrome relies on these weights to run AI features locally on your device instead of in the cloud, which comes with its fair share of challenges, including data privacy questions.
While speaking to Android Authority, a Google spokesperson commented on the matter:
We offered the Gemini Nano Chrome from 2024 as a lightweight, compact model. It enables key security capabilities like fraud detection and developer APIs without sending your data to the cloud. Although this requires some space on the desktop to work, the model will automatically download if the device has low resources. In February, we began rolling out the ability for users to easily turn off and remove a model directly from Chrome’s settings. If disabled, the model will no longer download or update. More details in our help center article.
Interestingly, the large file appears to come with a “warning” that Chrome will download, suggesting that the browser may have been given permission to download whatever files it needs to run.
“Chrome doesn’t come from outside,” That Privacy Guy has been added. “If the user deletes it, Chrome downloads it again.”
Therefore, Google Chrome will automatically download the AI model directly to your computer when you start interacting with any feature that relies on its new AI-centric APIs. However, your device must meet the following specifications:
- OS: Windows 10 or 11; macOS 13 or later; Linux; Chrome OS on Chromebook Plus devices.
- Storage: 22GB of free space.
- CPU or GPU: Built-in models can run on GPU or CPU:
- GPU: More than 4GB of VRAM.
- CPU: 16GB of RAM or more and four or more CPU cores.
- Network: Unlimited data or unlimited connection to download the first model.
To find out if the base model is already installed on your device, navigate to chrome://on-device-internals in the Google Chrome address bar. You can also check the model version, installation method, and folder size at Model Status part.
Windows Central takes over
It’s quite clear that users have been divided about the usability of AI on their PCs for a while now. Some prefer to have AI features completely removed from their systems, while others have found use cases suitable to support their workflows and interests.
I’m not opposed to the idea of AI features being embedded in my operating system, as that seems to be the way the world is headed. Still, I’d like “Big Tech” to implement more subtle approaches to the AI roadmap. For example, giving users more control over how AI is used on their devices, with complete transparency, and at the very least, having the option to opt out of experiences that may not seem important to the everyday user.
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