Parisa Tabriz, VP and GM of Google Chrome, responded to criticism of silent downloads in Chrome’s 4GB AI model, emphasizing that on-device AI is essential for browser security and development.
Privacy researcher Alexander Hanff has documented that Chrome automatically downloads the approximately 4GB Gemini Nano model to the device without prompting the user or clear opt-out option.
If you delete the file, it will be re-downloaded when Chrome restarts. The controversy grew after critics pointed out that the “AI Mode” feature that appears in Chrome’s address bar does not use a local model.
Instead, it sends queries to Google’s cloud, leaving users to incur the cost of a 4GB file unrelated to core AI functionality. Privacy advocates also raised concerns about potential violations of EU privacy law, particularly the requirement for user consent before local data storage.
Tabriz revealed at X that starting in 2024, Google will offer Gemini Nano as a lightweight, on-device model that will be essential for Chrome’s APIs and security features such as fraud detection. She explained that this model processes data locally and automatically uninstalls when it runs out of storage.
However, it did not directly address concerns about consent, nor did it explain why the model would be reinstalled if it was removed. Google said users can disable or delete models through Chrome settings, and once turned off, they won’t be re-downloaded.
