Google Chrome Gemini Feature Leak Reveals Agentic Browsing for Windows 11

Google continues to innovate in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) by integrating its Gemini AI into Chrome. This latest development aims to enhance user experience through a feature called Contextual Tasks, potentially enabling the browser to handle browsing duties on your behalf. The feature is currently hidden within Chrome Canary, indicative of being in the experimental phase as suggested by Google a few months ago.

Windows Latest recently activated the Contextual Tasks option to explore its functionality. Upon doing so, a new choice appeared under More Tools in the context menu. Selecting this option displayed a sidebar featuring the default Google homepage.

Browser researcher Leo also identified these experimental flags. Analysis of these elements suggests that Google is developing capabilities akin to the “Actions in Edge”feature.

The introduction of Gemini in Chrome for Windows 11 aims to automate various lengthy tasks. However, observations from Windows Latest during testing reveal that the current version of the sidebar predominantly showcases only the homepage, with little additional functionality.

Upon activating the AI mode, users encountered the Gemini page, which appeared awkwardly truncated, preventing text input. This bears resemblance to the Copilot sidebar seen in Microsoft Edge, although in a less refined state. It’s plausible that a fully functional interface will emerge, enabling users to engage with Gemini and perform a variety of “actions” directly within Chrome.

Despite the current UI being somewhat flawed and not resizing efficiently, these issues are understandable given that the feature is still undergoing internal testing.

Future Prospects: Google’s Vision for Agentic Capabilities

While the presence of flags and user access to the AI sidebar strongly indicates upcoming enhancements, Google’s official blog post also implies that agentic browsing will soon be a reality in Chrome.

Google’s commentary suggests that these agentic capabilities could significantly simplify tasks like grocery shopping, turning a 30-minute process into just three clicks. How? With the power of Gemini’s data analysis, it could quickly suggest products to purchase by examining your currently open tabs.

Moreover, the feature could leverage your browser history or account information to retrieve past orders, although concerns regarding privacy may arise. Google has yet to clarify its stance on this aspect.

In comparison, Microsoft’s Edge already supports a Copilot mode that similarly analyzes open tabs to better understand user intent. For instance, when I visited a page for purchasing Crucial RAM, Edge intelligently suggested choices based on my browsing actions.

Additionally, Google is exploring the concept of multi-Gemini instances, allowing users to interact with the AI assistant across various tabs within a single browsing session. This improvement would enable multiple AI queries without the need to open separate windows, significantly enhancing user productivity.

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