Fury Erupts After Google Chrome Sneakily Installs 4 GB AI Model On Users’ PCs - Futurism
4GB. That's what Google quietly downloaded to millions of Chrome users — and they had no idea.
Why it matters
Google's automatic installation of a Gemini AI model on user devices without explicit consent triggered a privacy backlash, raising questions about default AI deployment strategies and user control in browser ecosystems.
The key facts
7 to knowGoogle Chrome automatically installed 4GB AI model (weights.bin file) on user PCs
Installation occurred without explicit user permission or clear disclosure
Multiple major tech publications reported the incident (Futurism, WIRED, PCMag, CNET, Android Authority)
Model appears to be Gemini integration for Chrome
Google issued clarification/response to privacy concerns
User backlash described as 'fury' across tech community
Users able to disable Gemini feature if desired
Go to the source
Reuters Technologynews.google.com
Publisher excerpt: Fury Erupts After Google Chrome Sneakily Installs 4 GB AI Model On Users’ PCs Futurism You Can Disable Gemini in Chrome if It’s Freaking You Out WIRED Chrome Is Quietly Downloading a 4GB AI Model Without Your Permission PCMag Google Chrome May Have Quietly Installed a 4GB AI Model Onto Your Device…