- Google Chrome silently installed the Gemini Nano AI model, 4GB.
- Gemini Nano powers local AI features, sparking privacy concerns.
- Google cites benefits; critics demand transparency and user consent.
Google Chrome may have placed a large, unexpected file on your computer as part of its push to bring artificial intelligence features directly onto user devices. The file in question is Gemini Nano, a compact AI model that runs locally rather than through cloud servers. Privacy researchers say Chrome has been downloading this model onto eligible computers without showing any clear notification or asking for consent.
The file, stored as weights.bin, can take up around 4GB of storage space, and many users have no idea it is there.
What Is Gemini Nano And Why Is It On Your Device?
Gemini Nano is designed to power a range of AI-driven features within Chrome, including text assistance, content summarisation, scam detection, and other functions that work directly on your device. Google says running these tasks locally can improve speed, cut down on dependence on internet connectivity, and offer better privacy for certain operations.
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According to Google, the model is only installed on devices that meet specific hardware requirements. The company also says it may be automatically removed if the system does not have enough storage, memory, processing power, or network resources. Google has since introduced settings that let users turn off on-device AI functionality.
Despite this, the silent installation has drawn criticism from privacy advocates, who argue users deserve to know when large software files are being downloaded to their machines. Some experts have also raised questions about whether this approach meets transparency requirements under European data protection laws.
How To Check And Remove Gemini Nano From Your Computer
Mac users can open Finder, go to Library, then Application Support, then Google, then Chrome, then Default, and look for a folder named OptGuideOnDeviceModel. If it contains a file called weights.bin, the model is installed.
Windows users can press Windows + R and type %LOCALAPPDATA%GoogleChromeUser DataOptGuideOnDeviceModel to check for the same file.
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To remove it on a Mac, open Chrome, go to Settings, then System, and turn off On-device AI.
Windows users should open Chrome, go to Settings, then System, and turn off On-device AI. After that, type chrome://flags into the address bar, search for Optimisation Guide, set Enables Optimisation Guide on Device to Disabled, restart Chrome, then navigate to the Chrome user data folder and delete the OptGuideOnDeviceModel directory.
The episode has reopened a wider debate about how technology companies introduce AI features and how much control users should have over what gets installed on their own devices.
