Google is facing criticism after security researcher Alexander Hanff discovered that the Chrome browser silently installs a four-gigabyte Gemini Nano AI model on user devices without explicit consent.

Key Points

• Security researcher Alexander Hanff identified a four-gigabyte file named "weights.bin" being automatically downloaded into Chrome’s "OptGuideOnDeviceModel" directory.
• The file contains parameters for Google’s Gemini Nano, an AI model designed to run locally on user hardware rather than in the cloud.
• Chrome reportedly re-downloads the model automatically if a user attempts to delete the file from their device storage.
• Hanff estimates the mass deployment of this model could generate between 6,000 and 60,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions across the browser's three billion users.
• Critics suggest the silent installation may violate European Union data privacy regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Why it Matters

This incident highlights growing tensions between tech companies pushing AI integration and users concerned about device autonomy, storage usage, and lack of transparency. The controversy may accelerate user migration toward privacy-focused browser alternatives that offer more control over AI features and background data processes.