Chrome on desktop is getting a huge Gemini boost to take on AI browsers like Comet

Google is finally bringing Gemini to the Chrome browser in a way we always wanted. Much like Perplexity’s Comet browser, Gemini in Chrome will work across your tabs, Google apps, YouTube, and more, delivering a complete AI experience that currently feels like the missing piece of Chrome’s story.

With Google finally throwing its hat in the ring, the age of true AI-powered browsers has officially begun. Gemini is now rolling out widely to Chrome desktop users in the US, on both Windows and Mac. Access to Gemini in Chrome was previously limited to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers only.

Apart from expanding its reach, Google is also giving Gemini in Chrome some powerful new features. And if they sound familiar, it’s because they’re strikingly similar (if not the same) to what Perplexity already built into its invite-only Comet Browser.

For months, Perplexity’s Comet has been available as an AI-first browser with an assistant that doesn’t just summarize web pages but also compares tabs, shops for you, and even helps you navigate inside YouTube videos. Gemini will do all of that and more, eventually reaching billions of users who use Chrome.

You’ll be able to access Gemini in Chrome on Windows and Mac by clicking a new sparkle icon in the top-right corner of the tab strip. From there, Gemini will be able to perform a number of tasks, including:

• Explaining complex topics or web content in simple terms.
• Summarizing and comparing information across multiple tabs.
• Taking you directly to the exact moment in a YouTube video you want to watch.
• Quickly recalling websites you visited earlier, without you having to scroll through your history.
• Allowing you to get information from Google apps like Calendar, Maps, and YouTube, all without leaving your current page.

And that’s just the start. Google says that in the coming months, Gemini in Chrome will also gain “agentic” abilities, meaning it won’t just fetch information, it will act on it on your behalf. Think booking a haircut, ordering groceries based on a YouTube recipe you’re watching, or an email, and more.

This concept of agentic AI has been bubbling up recently, with assistants that don’t just answer questions but take initiative on behalf of their users. Perplexity successfully leaned into it with the Comet browser, and now Google is doing the same with Gemini. The idea may seem simple, but it can really change the way you use your browser, especially when you realize how much time you can end up saving. It certainly transformed YouTube viewing for me.

If Comet were the beginning, Gemini in Chrome will certainly take AI browsers mainstream. Given Google’s control over the browser market, it’s hard to imagine Perplexity keeping up unless it opens Comet to everyone soon and continues innovating with industry-first features. That said, Perplexity certainly deserves credit for getting there first and doing a good job of it despite having no prior experience in building a web browser.