Web browsing is changing. With Auto Browse, Google no longer simply assists users with their searches; it now offers them the option to delegate tasks directly to artificial intelligence. Clicking, scrolling through pages, opening tabs, or filling out forms are now tasks performed by an AI agent built into the core of Chrome. The browser is thus evolving toward a semi-autonomous model, where the user sets the goal and lets the agent explore the web on their behalf.
When Chrome Becomes an Agent-Based Browser
Auto Browse is built directly into Google Chrome, without the need for an external extension. The bot mimics the typical actions of a human user. It clicks, compares, opens multiple pages simultaneously, and proceeds step by step until it completes the assigned task. Google is clearly committed to this approach of developing bots capable of taking action, as detailed in an official blog post dedicated to the browser’s new AI features1.
To ensure transparency, Chrome visually indicates when the agent is active. Automated tabs display an animated AI icon, and a notification alerts the user when the task is complete or when human verification is required. In the meantime, the user can continue browsing or launch other tasks simultaneously.
Gemini is shifting its role to become a control center
The launch of Auto Browse is accompanied by a redesign of Gemini’s interface in Chrome. The assistant now opens by default in a side panel, providing more space to interact with the current page. This change marks a turning point. Gemini is no longer just a chatbot; it is becoming a cross-functional hub, directly connected to Google services.
From this panel, the AI can interact with Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube, Maps, Google Shopping, Flights, and Hotels without leaving the browser. This integration allows Auto Browse to perform complex tasks, such as searching for accommodations, comparing travel options, or gathering information spread across multiple services.
Productivity- and delegation-focused uses
Google positions Auto Browse as a tool designed for repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Whether it’s searching for an apartment, comparing products, gathering information, or pre-filling forms, the agent can theoretically handle these tasks based on simple instructions in natural language.
This strategy addresses a well-identified challenge. Studies show that the average digital worker spends nearly two hours a day on low-value-added browsing and research tasks2. Auto Browse is thus part of a strategy to boost productivity, where AI acts as a digital assistant tasked with exploring the web on the user’s behalf.
Safeguards for sensitive actions
Google claims to have built in explicit control mechanisms. Whenever an action involves sensitive data, the bot requests human approval. Passwords, personal information, and final payments are intentionally excluded from full automation. Certain operations, such as the final confirmation of an online purchase, are blocked by design.
This approach aims to minimize the risks associated with excessive automation, while maintaining a sufficient level of autonomy to make the tool truly useful.
A feature available only to premium subscribers
Auto Browse isn’t available to everyone. Google reserves this feature for Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra subscribers. The usage limits clearly highlight the tool’s premium nature. The AI Pro plan provides access to 20 automated tasks per day, while the AI Ultra plan allows up to 200 daily tasks3.
These limits reflect the high cost in cloud resources associated with running autonomous agents based on the Gemini 3 models, which are direct descendants of the experimental Mariner project. Google has not ruled out making the service available for free in the future, but with much stricter restrictions.
Ethical Issues and Limits: Delegating Without Losing Control
The automation of web browsing raises fundamental questions. Auto Browse does not operate locally. The pages analyzed are routed through Google’s servers, where they are processed by Gemini models. The company mentions temporary storage linked to the user account’s activity settings, without clearly specifying whether this content can be used to train the models4.
This gray area raises a key privacy concern. Delegating browsing also means delegating access to part of one’s online activity. Liability in the event of errors, the traceability of automated actions, and understanding the sources become major points of concern. As AI agents explore the web on our behalf, there is a risk that users will lose a direct connection to the sources, in favor of results mediated by opaque systems5.
Toward a Web Explored by Agents
With Auto Browse, Google isn’t just improving Chrome. It’s introducing a new way to interact with the web, based on delegation. Browsing becomes a task entrusted to AI, rather than a series of manual actions. While this approach promises significant productivity gains, it also requires a clear framework to ensure trust, transparency, and user control.
The browser of the future may no longer be just a tool for accessing information, but rather a conductor of autonomous agents tasked with exploring the web on our behalf. The question remains: to what extent will users be willing to let AI surf the web for them?
Learn more
This shift toward agents capable of acting autonomously on the web is part of a broader trend in so-called agent-based AI. On a closely related topic, check out our article “ChatGPT Agent: OpenAI Introduces an AI Capable of Planning, Executing… and Learning”, which analyzes the emergence of systems capable of handling complex tasks, navigating digital environments, and profoundly transforming the ways we approach research and productivity.
References
1. Google. (2025). Go behind the browser with Chrome’s new AI features.
https://blog.google
2. McKinsey Global Institute. (2023). The productivity potential of generative AI.
https://www.mckinsey.com
3. AP News. (2026). Google expands AI agents in Chrome with premium plans.
https://apnews.com
4. Google. (2025). Gemini privacy and data usage.
https://support.google.com
5. European Data Protection Board. (2023). Guidelines on AI and personal data.
https://edpb.europa.eu