Google adds three new AI-powered features to Chrome

Weeks after Google decided to halt its plan to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, the company has unveiled three new AI-driven features for desktops in Chrome. These tools set to enhance the browser’s functionality utilize the latest Google AI and Gemini models. Here are the features:

Google Lens comes to Chrome Desktop

Google Lens, once exclusive to mobile devices, is now accessible on Chrome for desktop users. According to Google, this feature allows users to search for information on the web directly from their current tab. 

For example, if you’re reading an article and come across a term or a name you're unfamiliar with, you can quickly look up definitions or details about that term or person without having to switch to a different tab or window. 

To achieve this, By clicking the Google Lens icon in the address bar or using the right-click menu, users can select any on-screen content to search for related information. Visual matches and search results will appear in a side panel, enabling users to refine their searches with options like color and brand. This update offers a more intuitive way to explore and gather information without leaving your browsing session.

By clicking or dragging over any content on the screen, users can instantly access visual matches and detailed search results in a side panel. This feature also supports multisearch, allowing users to refine queries by color, brand, or other specifics, and provides comprehensive AI-generated summaries for in-depth insights.

The Tab Compare feature 

Chrome will also launch a new feature called Tab Compare beginning in the U.S. According to Google, Tab Compare provides an AI-generated summary of products from multiple tabs, consolidating the information into a single, convenient view.

Imagine you're shopping for a laptop online and you have multiple browser tabs open, each showing different laptop models with various features and prices.

With Tab Compare, instead of flipping between these tabs and trying to remember the details from each one, you get a single, AI-generated summary of all the laptops you're interested in. This summary combines the key information—like specs, prices, and reviews—from all the tabs into one easy-to-read view.

For example, if you have tabs open for a Dell laptop, an HP laptop, and an Asus laptop, Tab Compare would gather the important details from each, like screen size, processor type, and price, and present them in a neat comparison chart. This way, you can quickly see which laptop offers the best features for your needs without the hassle of navigating through each tab.

Enhanced History Search with AI

The new AI-powered history search feature allows users to search their browsing history conversationally. 

For instance, if you remember reading an article about "healthy recipes" a few weeks ago but can't find it, you can type or ask, "Show me that article I read about healthy recipes," and the AI will find it for you based on the context of your request. This makes searching more intuitive and less tedious than manually scrolling through your history.

This feature is optional and does not include data from incognito mode, ensuring privacy. It will be available in the U.S. starting soon and can be toggled on or off.