Google built Gemini into Chrome, alarming users — here's how to turn it off

Chrome users have run into an unexpected discovery: their browser contains a built-in Gemini AI model that takes up four gigabytes. Google installed it automatically in recent browser updates, without explicit user consent. The news set off a wave of concern about privacy, control over data and disk space.

How it was discovered

Users first noticed that Chrome was suddenly taking up much more hard-drive space than before. When they started investigating, the answer was an unpleasant surprise: Google had downloaded a full Gemini model inside the browser, almost covertly. The discovery did not come right away; it happened by chance. People began discussing the problem in communities, on technical forums on Reddit and on GitHub. Working together, they pieced together the full picture: in recent versions of Chrome, Google automatically downloads a local copy of Gemini without explicitly notifying users or asking their permission.

What worries users

Critics point to several serious problems. First, privacy: what exactly happens when the browser works with the model? Is data sent to Google's servers, or is processing entirely local? Second, control: why can the company install a four-gigabyte module at all without explicit user consent? Third, size: four gigabytes is a substantial chunk of a hard drive, especially for people with limited space or older devices.

Google has added a simple option to turn the model off, which is a positive step. But the question of why the model was enabled by default remains open and raises suspicion.

How to turn off the built-in model

If the presence of Gemini in your browser bothers you, getting rid of it is easy and quick. Open the Chrome menu (three dots in the upper-right corner), then go to "Settings" → "Privacy and security" → "Additional materials". Find the option that lets you disable the built-in AI model and turn it off. The browser will then offer to delete the model from your disk completely. Agree, and the space is freed.

But should you turn it off?

Here the story gets more interesting and more complicated. Google did not build Gemini into Chrome for nothing. A local model enables capabilities that would otherwise be impossible: built-in AI features that run right on your computer, without the internet and without sending requests to remote servers. That brings real, tangible benefits:

• Speed — processing happens locally, with no network transmission delays and no waiting for a response from the cloud
• Privacy — your requests stay local, are not sent to Google's servers and are not stored somewhere in the cloud
• Reliability — built-in AI features keep working even if the internet connection goes down

If you actively use Chrome's built-in AI assistants, turning off the model means losing these useful capabilities.

What this means

Google is clearly choosing to integrate AI deeply into all its main products, including the browser. Chrome is no longer just a browser; it is gradually becoming a browser with built-in AI. That creates a sharp dilemma for users: the convenience and functionality of new capabilities versus full control over what is installed on their computers. By all appearances, the company is betting on the former — functionality and integration — rather than maximum user control.