Google is bringing loads of AI features to Chromebooks (with a catch)

Microsoft recently announced its Copilot Plus initiative for premium, AI-powered PCs, but Google isn’t standing still. The company has just revealed a slew of features coming soon to Chromebooks.

The Chromebook Plus line is getting almost all of these new AI features, starting with the “Help me write” feature. Users simply need to right-click to generate text from a prompt or to change the tone of existing text.

Chromebook Plus devices are also getting generative AI wallpaper functionality, which seems in line with the AI wallpaper feature on Pixel phones. It also looks like these wallpapers can be used as backgrounds in video call apps.

The Chromebook Plus additions don’t stop here, as Google revealed that Magic Editor will be exclusively available on these premium devices. For the uninitiated, Magic Editor is Google’s generative AI photo editing suite, allowing users to move subjects, resize objects, and much more.

Google is also bringing Gemini to the Chrome OS home screen and will offer 12 months of the 2TB Google One AI Premium plan to new Chromebook Plus users.

In addition to the aforementioned features coming soon, Google also revealed that Chromebook Plus devices will get document and PDF summarizations later this year. This feature uses Gemini and can be activated with a right-click.

Don’t have a Chromebook Plus device? Then you’ll be glad to know that some features are coming soon to standard Chromebooks too. For starters, you can soon set up your Chromebook via your phone, using a QR code and your phone to share Wi-Fi credentials and Google account details.

Other notable features coming to standard Chromebooks include more intuitive GIF screen recording, one-click access to Google Tasks, and a tweaked Game Dashboard that now lets you map mobile game controls to your keyboard.

Google will add a few more features to all Chromebooks later in 2024. Perhaps the most notable feature coming to devices later this year is the Project Gameface initiative, which will let you control your Chromebook with face and gesture tracking.

Google will also bring Focus functionality for productivity:

Choose a window of time, a Google Task you want to finish and a YouTube Music playlist, and Chromebook will automatically turn on Do Not Disturb and count down your progress.

Finally, Chromebooks will soon offer a “welcome back” screen when you open your laptop. This screen will let you open windows and apps from your last session while also offering suggestions from your other devices (e.g., opening an article on your Chromebook that you started reading on your phone).

Either way, it’s clear you’ll need to buy a premium Chromebook Plus device if you’re keen on Google’s new-fangled AI features. Google is also releasing new Chromebook hardware, making it enticing to upgrade to a new Chromebook.