Google Turns Chrome into an Autonomous AI Assistant

Google has unveiled Auto Browse, a new AI feature that allows Chrome to navigate websites, compare options, fill forms, and complete purchases on a user’s behalf, marking a shift from passive browsing to task execution. Powered by Gemini 3, the update positions Chrome as an AI platform at a time when browser competition is intensifying, with rivals racing to redefine how people interact with the web, according to Google’s January 28 announcement on AI-powered browsing.

How Auto Browse changes everyday web tasks

Auto Browse is designed to handle multi-step workflows that normally require constant user input. Within Chrome’s new persistent side panel, the AI can search across sites, compare prices, apply discount codes, and add items to carts while users watch each step in real time. For more complex tasks, it can analyze images, scan documents, or manage searches across multiple platforms, such as comparing travel options or filtering property listings based on preset preferences.

Crucially, the system pauses before sensitive actions. Purchases, social media posts, and account logins require user confirmation, maintaining human oversight. With permission, Auto Browse can also access Google Password Manager to sign into websites, a capability Google says is protected by new security defenses against phishing and credential theft. For now, access is limited to U.S.-based Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, making Auto Browse a premium preview rather than a mass rollout.

Why Chrome is central to Google’s AI strategy

The move reflects growing pressure on Google’s browser dominance. Chrome still commands about 70 percent of the global market, but AI-first challengers are changing expectations. Instead of launching a separate AI-native browser, Google is embedding intelligence directly into Chrome to avoid fragmenting its 3 billion users. Alongside Auto Browse, Gemini now offers a free side panel assistant, on-device image generation, and deep integrations with Gmail, Calendar, Maps, and Shopping.

For Google, the stakes extend beyond software features. Chrome underpins search traffic, advertising revenue, and e-commerce discovery. By turning it into an autonomous assistant, Google is betting that productivity gains and convenience will keep users loyal as AI-driven browsing becomes mainstream. Whether this strategy can outpace rivals will shape the next phase of competition in the browser market.