How to Disable Google’s Gemini in Chrome
If you use Google’s Chrome browser for desktop, there’s probably a Gemini Nano AI model running on your computer right now and taking up about 4 GB of space. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if you didn’t know about it and don’t want it, there’s a way to turn it off.
What It Means for Makers and Artists
The file started auto-downloading for Chrome users in 2024 after Google built Gemini Nano into the browser. But a report by That Privacy Guy this week and the ensuing reception highlighted how unaware many users were—perhaps a result of a flood of AI services and features across the tech industry that have been difficult for users to keep up with.
How to Uninstall the Gemini Nano File
- To uninstall the Gemini Nano file, open Chrome on your computer. In the top right corner click the “More” menu represented by three vertical dots, then go to Settings, System, and toggle “On-device AI” to be off.
- The Privacy Guy article noted that if you directly uninstall the Gemini Nano file in the directory, Chrome will silently, automatically redownload it the next time the browser reboots. To avoid this, Google recommends disabling On-device AI through settings rather than manually removing the file.
A Google spokesperson tells WIRED that the company started rolling out the On-device AI toggle in February so users can turn off the features if they choose and remove the model. “Once disabled, the model will no longer download or update,” the spokesperson says in a statement. The company added that Gemini Nano is designed to automatically uninstall if the device is low on resources.
Google’s Intentions
“Once disabled, the model will no longer download or update,” the spokesperson says in a statement. “The system is designed so Gemini Nano will automatically uninstall if the device is low on resources.” The company also emphasized that integrating Gemini Nano “powers important security capabilities like on-device scam detection and developer APIs without sending your data to the cloud.”
Concerns for Users
Google certainly did announce the Gemini Nano integration into Chrome and discussed it publicly, but for users who simply use Chrome because it is the world’s biggest, most recognizable browser and don’t necessarily follow every granular update, the lack of an in-your-face notification about a large AI model file sitting and running on your computer may be upsetting.
Parisa Tabriz, Chrome’s general manager, emphasized in a post on X on Wednesday that integrating Gemini Nano “powers important security capabilities like on-device scam detection and developer APIs without sending your data to the cloud.”
Privacy Considerations
A Google spokesperson tells WIRED that if you turn off On-device AI, “certain security features will not be available, and sites that use the on device APIs will behave differently.” Local processing is a more private way to utilize AI capabilities. If you remove the model, the features Google uses it for—including the AI-enabled scam detection—will cease to function.
Removing Gemini Nano from Chrome doesn’t mean you necessarily should—or that doing so is better for your privacy. Longtime security and compliance consultant Davi Ottenheimer says that he follows Chrome updates closely but could have easily missed the Gemini Nano integration. “An on-device model could be a hidden minefield,” he says. The fact that Google launched the integration in 2024 but didn’t start rolling out a settings control for users to turn it off until February shows that, at least initially, the feature wasn’t conceived as something that users would interact with.
Alternative Solutions
If neither option seems right, there’s always an alternative: Use a different browser. For those who prefer not to use Chrome for privacy reasons or if you’re already using another browser, consider switching to one of the many other browsers available.
Key Takeaways
- The Gemini Nano AI model is pre-installed in Google Chrome and can be turned off through settings.
- Removing the Gemini Nano file from your computer may cause it to redownload automatically on reboot, so disabling On-device AI through settings is recommended.
- Local processing of AI capabilities may provide a more private way to utilize these features compared to relying solely on Google’s Gemini Nano model.
Originally published at wired.com. Curated by AI Maestro.
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