Google Chrome users on Mac, PC or Chromebook will soon get to see some new features designed to make web searching more flexible. These new features are enabled by Google Gemini and other Google AI models.
Google Chrome’s last major AI update was in May, when it announced Gemini functionality in Workspace and added AI-generated answers to some search queries.
What are the new features of Chrome?
The three new features are:
- Google Lens in Chrome on desktop browser.
- Tab Compare, an automatically generated comparison tool for online shopping.
- Natural language search in browser history.
Google Lens allows users to select specific elements from a picture or web page. It’s best suited for shopping because it can tell you where to buy an item in a photo. Google Lens also answers common questions, such as searching the web for a certain type of plant or getting more information about an equation.
WATCH: Google Workspace fell victim to a vulnerability that exposed thousands of accounts. (TechRepublic)
Google Lens in Chrome can be accessed from the address bar or by right-clicking or clicking-and-dragging from the meatball menu.
Tab Compare creates a chart listing the features of two or more products. Users can create a comparison table for products from different marketplaces and sellers, provided they line up those products alongside each other in the tab.
“We’ve heard that users want help with online comparisons,” Parisa Tabriz, vice president of Chrome at Google, wrote in a press release.
Perhaps the most notable Chrome update from a security perspective is the ability to search your browsing history using natural language. Google also suggests a consumer use for this — the question “What ice cream shop did I visit last week?” — but it could also have business applications, such as searching across multiple meeting and communication platforms.
The following are features to be cautious about regarding search history:
- Using the AI search feature is optional.
- The AI search feature can be turned off by going to Chrome settings.
- The AI search feature never includes browsing data from incognito mode.
Tabriz said Google is leveraging AI to make it easier for users “to get things done quickly and find the information they want.”
“Our goal is to make your browsing experience even more helpful through the power of AI,” he added. “So there’s a lot more to come.”
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