M.G. Siegler • #google • May 20, 2025

The Geminification of Chrome

The DoJ wants Google to ditch Chrome, so they loaded in their AI?

I have a number of thoughts about Google I/O, but for now, I would just highlight the above as something likely getting lost in the absolute data dump of information that Google just dropped, but seems far more important:

Google is bringing Gemini and Gemini Live to Chrome for Mac and Windows. The initial launch lets you ask questions about a page, while future versions will be able to navigate the web and take other actions on your behalf.

Gemini appears in the top-right corner of the Chrome window (which is why page search moved), the Windows task and Mac menu bar, and with Alt + G + Ctrl + G.

Tapping brings up a small floating window that lets you “Ask Gemini” and type questions about the page you’re currently viewing, with tab access noted and easily revoked by hitting the ‘x’ button. Gemini can understand the text of the page and images, while — in the case of product comparisons — can recall past information if you navigate to a new one.

While the functionality itself seems useful, arguably more interesting are the ramifications of such a move. Namely, Google is in the middle of the remedy phase of an antitrust trial that they lost – and the one concrete thing that the Justice Department wants to take from them is Chrome.

I've been making the case for why that doesn't make any sense, since it wouldn't really change the search market – unless they sold it to a company like OpenAI, handing them 3B+ users and thus anointing them as the new kings. Obviously, the government would prefer not do that (even if anyone could afford it). But I did leave the door open back in November with something to watch for – talking about AI:

Something in this current jumble of chaos feels like it will be what eventually displaces Google Search. But none of those have anything to do with Chrome other than they mainly run inside of it, just as other web apps do. A move towards "agents" could change this dynamic, with some early entrants likely focused on using the browser as the hub from which such AI operates – that likely includes both OpenAI and...

All that said, if Google were to leverage Chrome to give Gemini some sort of unfair advantage, that may actually matter. I'm honestly not sure the court is savvy enough to play this out and it's mainly theoretical for now – and you shouldn't litigate theoretical future problems as they may or may not happen, obviously. Still... it's worth considering in this whole debate.

Well, now the court doesn't have to play this out. It's no longer theoretical. Google just shipped it! I honestly can't believe they did that given the ongoing trial. To the court, it may immediately shift Chrome from a piece of older technology which helped cement Google's legacy business, Search, to a vessel with 3B+ people, ready to carry them to Google's next wave of dominance, AI.

I mean, unless I'm missing something, every single user of Chrome is now on the verge of getting Gemini automatically installed as a feature of their browser. Considering that we're in the middle of an AI arms race, that's almost a Microsoftian manuever.

And justice department aside, you have to imagine it's about to draw some level of complaint from startups like Perplexity and The Browser Company, which are both on the verge of launching their new AI browsers. And OpenAI, which is undoubtedly working on their own. And yes, Microsoft. Sure, they baked Copilot into their Edge browser some time ago, but no one uses those.¹

As I wrote in my initial post on the Chrome sell-off/spin-out matter:

The government would argue that consumers will benefit as they'll no longer be as locked into Google Search – especially if this is coupled with an order to end any default search agreements with other browser makers. But unless those other browser makers choose another search engine as the default, it feels like Google Search will not be impacted very much. It *is* interesting to think if that would impact the uptake and growth of Gemini and a few other Google products, such as their payment services, but that's not what is on trial here.

But it increasingly is sort of what's really on trial here. Already. And Google's move with Chrome here probably won't help their case!

Forget the Fate of Chrome, Focus on the Fate of the Browser

In debating what undoubtedly won’t happen, we’re looking past some key things that are -- and might…