How to Disable Google’s Gemini in Chrome
If you use Google’s Chrome browser for desktop, there’s a possibility that a Gemini Nano AI model is running on your computer right now and taking up about 4 GB of space. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but 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 AI model was built into Chrome by Google in 2024 and can be turned off through the browser’s settings system.
- This feature allows developers to integrate AI-related application programming interfaces while keeping data on users’ devices when possible, out of the cloud. These features are separate from Chrome’s AI Mode.
- Users have a choice between disabling the Gemini Nano model if they want to avoid it or use a different browser altogether.
To uninstall the Gemini Nano file, open Chrome on your computer and 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.
Key Takeaways
- The On-device AI toggle was rolled out by Google in February so users can turn off features if they choose and remove the model.
- Once disabled, the model will no longer download or update.
- Google’s system is designed to automatically uninstall Gemini Nano if the device is low on resources.
Originally published at wired.com. Curated by AI Maestro.
Stay ahead of AI. Get the most important stories delivered to your inbox — no spam, no noise.