Google Chrome Installs 4 GB Gemini Nano AI Model Silently – No User Consent

Google Chrome is silently installing its Gemini Nano AI model — weighing in at roughly 4 GB — on user devices without asking for permission. The model, part of Google's on-device AI push, is being downloaded in the background and stored locally, which can eat up significant disk space on unsuspecting machines.

How It Works

According to reports, Chrome is downloading the model as part of its built-in AI features (like smart compose or summarization), but the installation happens automatically. Users are not prompted, and there is no clear opt-in flow. The model is stored under Chrome's local data directory, typically ~/.config/google-chrome/GeminiNano/ on Linux or the equivalent on other OSes.

• Size: ~4 GB for the full model download.
• No Consent: The download begins without user interaction or notification.
• Background Process: Happens via a Chrome updater service or built-in component updater.

What You Can Do

If you want to remove the model or prevent the download, you can:

• Disable Chrome's AI features via chrome://settings/safetyCheck or chrome://flags/#optimization-guide-on-device-model.
• Delete the model folder manually: rm -rf ~/.config/google-chrome/GeminiNano/ (Linux/Mac) or the corresponding Windows path.
• Use an enterprise policy: Set OptimizationGuideOnDeviceModelEnabled to false.

This is a significant privacy and storage concern, especially for users on limited data plans or constrained disk space. Developers and power users should check their systems immediately.