Google Chrome: An AI Model Secretly Installed on Your Device?

Google Chrome and the Discreet Installation of Gemini Nano

Without your knowledge, your Google Chrome browser may be hosting an artificial intelligence model. Indeed, a 4 GB model has been installed on certain devices without asking for user permission. This discovery was made by Alexander Hanff, a Swedish computer scientist and lawyer known by the pseudonym That Privacy Guy.

Hanff revealed that Google has integrated Gemini Nano, an AI model designed to operate directly on devices such as smartphones and laptops, rather than in the cloud. This model was installed on the Chrome browsers of some users without their prior consent, and without any notification following the installation.

Installation Conditions and Features of Gemini Nano

The installation of Gemini Nano is not automatic for all Chrome users. It depends on the hardware specifications of the device, although the exact number of affected users remains unknown. Among the features of Gemini Nano are fraud call detection, assistance in composing text messages, summarizing recordings, and analyzing screenshots on Pixel phones.

It is important not to confuse Gemini Nano with the AI Mode of the Chrome address bar. The latter redirects queries to Google Gemini servers, while Gemini Nano operates locally on the device.

Google's Reactions and User Options

A Google spokesperson clarified to CNET that Gemini Nano would be automatically uninstalled if the device lacks the necessary resources, such as processing power, RAM, storage space, or network bandwidth. Since February, Google has introduced an option allowing users to easily disable and remove the model through Chrome settings. Once disabled, the model stops downloading or updating.

For those who wish to check for the presence of Gemini Nano, they can navigate through their device's file manager. On Windows, this is done via "File Explorer," on Chromebooks via "Files," and on Macs via "Finder." The folder to look for is named "OptGuideOnDeviceModel," containing a file "weights.bin," which is the location of Gemini Nano.

Controversies and Legal Implications

Alexander Hanff speculated that this strategy could allow Google to reduce its costs by shifting AI processing from its servers to users' devices. "By running inferences on users' hardware, they can offer AI features without the computing costs," he stated.

However, this practice could have legal repercussions, particularly in Europe. Hanff pointed out that the installation of Gemini Nano could violate the principles of legality, fairness, and transparency of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union. Furthermore, Google should have announced this installation under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, due to potential environmental impacts.

Hanff expressed his distrust of Google, citing a two-decade history of privacy violations. "I suspect they thought that asking for permission, as the law requires, would hinder their ability to deploy this model and everything that follows," he concluded.