Google just handed its AI the keys to your browser. The company's new Auto Browse feature, launched Wednesday, lets Gemini take control of Chrome to autonomously complete tasks like booking flights, shopping online, and filing expenses. Available initially to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US, the feature represents a major shift in how we interact with the web - putting AI in the driver's seat while users watch from the sidelines.
Google just made its biggest bet yet on AI agents controlling your digital life. The company's new Auto Browse feature for Chrome launched Wednesday, letting its Gemini AI model take over your browser to handle everything from online shopping to expense filing. It's a watershed moment for consumer AI - the technology that's been hyped in enterprise settings is now coming for your everyday browsing.
The feature arrives as Google doubles down on weaving AI into every corner of Chrome. Last year brought Gemini in Chrome mode for answering questions about web pages and synthesizing details across tabs. Auto Browse pushes that vision much further, transforming the browser from a window you look through into an agent that acts on your behalf.
Access comes with a price tag. Auto Browse launches today exclusively for US subscribers to Google's AI Pro and Ultra plans, accessed through the Gemini sidebar in Chrome. The company hasn't announced when it'll expand to free users or additional countries, suggesting this is a test run before a broader rollout.
Charmaine D'Silva, director of product management for Chrome, demonstrated the feature's promise in a pre-launch demo. "Instead of having to remember where I bought something and try to reorder something," she told Wired, "I can now delegate to Auto Browse within Gemini to be able to go ahead and buy jackets for me." She typed a request into the Gemini sidebar asking it to reorder a jacket from last year and hunt down a discount code before purchasing.
When activated, Auto Browse creates a ghostly digital presence in its own tab, making autonomous clicks and navigating sites while users watch. It's both fascinating and slightly unnerving - your browser moving on its own, following instructions from an AI model that's interpreting your commands.
