Google Chrome is downloading a 4 GB Gemini Nano model onto users' machines without consent, with no opt-in, no opt-out short of enterprise tooling, and an automatic re-download every time the user deletes it. The pattern is identical to the Anthropic Claude Desktop case I wrote about last month, but the scale is between two and three orders of magnitude larger. This article does the legal analysis and, for the first time, the environmental analysis. The numbers are not small.
Who gives a shit? You use Chrome, Chrome uses AI, so it downloads the model like any other module. Don’t like it? Don’t use Chrome. There are dozens of other perfectly good browsers.
The AI model we’re talking about here is not used for most of the AI features, which instead relies on cloud services. Those 4GB are there only for a fringe feature most people don’t know/don’t care about, hidden behind hoops you’ll have to jump through to get.
What devices include Chrome as standard? I don’t recall ever seeing a desktop or laptop already have it installed. (The article doesn’t claim this is happening on Android.)
I thought my win 11 came bundled with it, although I could be wrong.
As far as difficulty to uninstall and remove thats an android situation, but I feel like that could be the next OS to get this treatment (speculation).
Well, there are, but they just happen to be using webkitgtk2 or qtwebkit, which can be problematic on websites made with modern, bloated frameworks. And, ad blocking options are more limited absent ublock. Depends on your definition of good I suppose. I much prefer minimalist browsers, like vimb, and then just avoid bloated and ad-riddled sites. But, I inevitably need to use librewolf for some stuff.
Chrome includes AI, stop the fucking presses!
Who gives a shit? You use Chrome, Chrome uses AI, so it downloads the model like any other module. Don’t like it? Don’t use Chrome. There are dozens of other perfectly good browsers.
The AI model we’re talking about here is not used for most of the AI features, which instead relies on cloud services. Those 4GB are there only for a fringe feature most people don’t know/don’t care about, hidden behind hoops you’ll have to jump through to get.
I think the outrage is due to the fact that it is standard on a ton of devices, and not easily uninstalled or removed.
What devices include Chrome as standard? I don’t recall ever seeing a desktop or laptop already have it installed. (The article doesn’t claim this is happening on Android.)
I thought my win 11 came bundled with it, although I could be wrong.
As far as difficulty to uninstall and remove thats an android situation, but I feel like that could be the next OS to get this treatment (speculation).
Chrome is often baked into pre-built computer images these days.
Every mainline android ROM includes chrome as default.
Dozens of other good browsers?? What world are you living in lmaoo
Well, there are, but they just happen to be using webkitgtk2 or qtwebkit, which can be problematic on websites made with modern, bloated frameworks. And, ad blocking options are more limited absent ublock. Depends on your definition of good I suppose. I much prefer minimalist browsers, like vimb, and then just avoid bloated and ad-riddled sites. But, I inevitably need to use librewolf for some stuff.
edit: on linux anyway