Google Chrome Secretly Installs 4GB AI Model on Users' Computers Without Consent, Raising GDPR Concerns
Summary
Google Chrome is silently installing a 4GB Gemini Nano AI model on users' computers without consent, sparking serious GDPR concerns as critics accuse Google of exploiting personal hardware to cut server costs.
Key Points
- Google Chrome is quietly installing Gemini Nano, a 4GB on-device AI model, onto users' computers without their knowledge or consent, according to Swedish computer scientist and lawyer Alexander Hanff.
- Users can check for the model by searching for a folder called 'OptGuideOnDeviceModel' in their file manager, and can remove it by disabling the 'Enables optimization guide on device' flag in Chrome settings or by uninstalling Chrome entirely.
- Critics warn the silent installation may violate EU privacy laws, including GDPR principles of transparency, and suggest Google is offloading AI computing costs onto users' personal hardware to avoid server expenses.