According to TechSpot, Google is rolling out a new feature called “Auto Browse” for its Chrome browser, built on the Gemini AI system. This transforms Chrome into an autonomous platform capable of handling routine web tasks like filling out forms, gathering data, and planning itineraries. The feature is now in preview for paid subscribers on the AI Pro and AI Ultra plans, using the latest Gemini 3 models. AI Pro users get 20 browsing tasks per day, while AI Ultra subscribers get 200. When activated, Auto Browse opens dedicated tabs and can navigate sites, follow links, and interact with forms using simulated input, alerting the user only when a task is complete or permission is needed for sensitive actions.
The Browser Becomes A Butler
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just a smarter search bar. It’s a fundamental change in the relationship between you and your browser. You’re no longer the driver clicking every link and typing every field. You’re now the manager giving a high-level goal to an intern. “Plan a weekend trip to Boston” or “Find me the three best-reviewed wireless headphones under $200.” The AI agent, which Google says is influenced by its earlier Project Mariner framework, then figures out the steps. It opens tabs, compares prices, reads reviews—all in the background. The cognitive load for boring, repetitive web work basically vanishes. But that convenience comes with a huge asterisk we’ll get to.
Privacy And The Cloud Question
Now, the big elephant in the room. Auto Browse doesn’t run on your computer. Every single page interaction is streamed to Google’s servers for the Gemini models to process. Google’s documentation says page content may be temporarily logged to your account. But crucially, they haven’t confirmed whether data from these sessions will be used to train future AI models. That’s a massive question. Are you comfortable with an AI, on Google’s servers, autonomously accessing your bank’s website, your travel booking confirmations, or your shopping carts? The company says protective rules are in place to stop payments without confirmation, which is good. But the privacy implications here are deep and, frankly, a bit murky.
A New Front In The AI War
This move is a direct shot across the bow of OpenAI and others. It’s Google’s answer to tools like OpenAI’s rumored Atlas project, embedding advanced agentic AI right into the world’s most popular browser. By integrating seamlessly with Gmail, Calendar, Maps, and Shopping, Google is leveraging its ecosystem in a way competitors simply can’t. They’re making the browser the operating system for AI agents. For developers and enterprises, this signals where the platform is headed. The static web is becoming an interactive environment that software can manipulate directly. It’s a huge shift.
Will People Trust It?
So, will this stick? The technical preview is one thing. Mainstream adoption is another. Trust is the absolute key. Do you trust an algorithm to accurately compare products for you? Do you trust it to not misinterpret your request for “affordable hotels” and book a penthouse suite? Google’s success here hinges less on the raw capability of Gemini and more on its reliability and perceived safety. If it screws up a few high-profile tasks—fills out a form wrong, books the wrong flight—confidence could evaporate. This is a bold, almost sci-fi step for Google. They’re betting we’re ready to hand over the keyboard and mouse. I’m not entirely convinced we are, but the experiment is officially live.
