Google’s Chrome browser is getting a handful of new AI-powered features in the latest update.
Chrome version M121 includes three new AI features: a theme generator for customizing Chrome, a tool to fill AI-generated text into any field, and a ‘smart’ tab organizer.
Of the three, the tab organizer sounds most interesting. It leverages Chrome’s existing Tab Groups capability and blends it with AI, allowing the browser to organize tabs for users, group them, and even give the groups names and emojis. Chrome users can access the tool by right-clicking on a tab and selecting ‘Organize Similar Tabs.’
However, you’ll need to turn on Chrome’s AI features first. You can do so by heading into Settings and turning on ‘Experimental AI.’ Google, unsurprisingly, is being cautious with the rollout of its AI features (though arguably loading them into the world’s most popular web browser isn’t exactly a cautious move, even if the features are hidden behind a setting). Generative AI does have a reputation for not being super reliable or accurate.
Alongside the tab organizing feature, Chrome will let users generate browser themes with AI. The feature lets people select details like whether the generated theme is ‘animated’ or ‘serene’ and even select a colour palette to use. However, it appears from images Google shared of the feature that people will need to select a subject for the theme from a drop-down menu. In a GIF Google shared, the drop-down box has ‘Aurora borealis’ selected.
Finally, Chrome’s new ‘Help Me Write’ feature will add generative AI text creation to any fillable field on the web. Users can access it by right-clicking on a text box and clicking ‘Help Me Write.’ Then, users just enter a prompt, and they can adjust parameters to control the generated text’s length and tone.
As Gizmodo points out, adding text generation right into the browser like this makes it significantly more accessible and opens the gates for much more AI-generated text on the internet. We likely won’t know the full ramifications of this for a while, but it likely won’t be good.
Images credit: Google
