Google Chrome browser on your desktop may be taking more space than you think. The matter came to light via a blog post from Swedish computer scientist Alexander Hanff, who stated that Google Chrome is automatically downloading a 4GB AI model on users' browsers without their explicit permission.
Hanff notes that the file can be found in 'OptGuideOnDeviceModel' in a file named 'weights.bin'. The AI model in question is said to be Gemini Nano, the small AI model from the tech giant that runs locally on the user's device rather than taking the data into the cloud.
However, the model seems to be installing only if you have enabled certain Chrome AI features in your browser, such as 'Help me write' or on-device scam detection. In such scenarios, Chrome would automatically download the Gemini Nano model on your system, and if you delete the file, it would be redownloaded by the browser.
As per a report by The Verge, the only way to get rid of the AI model is to manually turn off the 'on-device AI' option by navigating to Settings > System.
Notably, Google first began offering AI features in its browser in 2024 with tools like 'Tab Organizer' and 'Help me write'. The company later expanded its AI push in Chrome with a range of new features, including the integration of Gemini directly into the browser.
However, Google is not alone in bringing AI to browsers. While Chrome remains the dominant desktop browser by a wide margin, the company is facing growing competition from rivals such as Microsoft Edge, Perplexity's Comet, and OpenAI's Atlas, as AI-powered browsers emerge as one of the biggest new trends in tech.
Google explains why it installed Gemini Nano model on your computer:
In a developer page, Google notes that if you start having storage issues, Gemini Nano is automatically deleted from the system.
"Chrome actively manages disk space to ensure the user doesn't run out. The Gemini Nano model is automatically deleted if the device's free disk space drops below a certain threshold," the company wrote on its developer page.
In a separate statement to 9to5Google, the tech giant said, "We've offered Gemini Nano for Chrome since 2024 as a lightweight, on-device model. It powers important security capabilities like scam detection and developer APIs without sending your data to the cloud."
"While this requires some local space on the desktop to run, the model will automatically uninstall if the device is low on resources. In February, we began rolling out the ability for users to easily turn off and remove the model directly in Chrome settings. Once disabled, the model will no longer download or update. More details in our help centre article," it added.