Google quietly begins testing Gemini AI shortcut on Chrome's beta version

Users can simply type a query on the URL bar without having to go to the Gemini website

Google Chrome is the world's most popular web browser, having captured nearly two-thirds of the market as of February, according to data from Statista. Bloomberg

Google has added a shortcut to the beta version of its Chrome internet browser that allows users to easily and more quickly access its Gemini generative artificial intelligence platform.

The under-the-radar addition, first spotted by Windows Report, apparently allows users to send queries directly to Gemini through Chrome Canary's omnibox, or the URL bar.

Chrome Canary is the version of the popular browser for developers that lets them test features being planned or feedback purposes.

The report noted, however, that the shortcut is available only in select areas. The National was able to access the Gemini shortcut on Chrome Canary.

Chrome Canary users can activate the Gemini shortcut through the browser's settings.

However, any queries typed in the URL just took the page to the Gemini AI website, without any results on requests. It is unclear if results indeed show up in other regions.

Google last week rebranded its generative AI platform Bard as Gemini and launched its top-tier Gemini Advanced, as it seeks to challenge OpenAI's ChatGPT and grab a bigger slice of the global generative AI market.

Gemini is also the name of Google's suite of large language models powering Bard that was introduced in December – at the time the platform's biggest update.

Coming with multimodal reasoning capabilities, the Gemini 1.0 model came in three sizes – nano, pro and ultra – so it can run on everything from resource-intensive data centres to small mobile devices.

Gemini Advanced features the Alphabet's subsidiary's largest model Gemini Ultra 1.0, which it describes as its “most capable” AI model.

It is “far more capable for reasoning, following instructions, coding and creative collaboration”, it “can understand, explain and generate high-quality code in many programming languages” and is designed for highly complex tasks.

It is unclear how long the testing phase will last and how soon Google plans to make the Gemini shortcut generally available for the stable Chrome browser.

Quicktake: Mere novelty or part of something bigger?

The addition of a Gemini shortcut on Chrome's omnibox “will significantly impact how people interact with Gemini, making it easier to send questions straight to the chat box without opening a tab and navigating to the Gemini website”, Windows Report said in an email to The National.

However, such a shortcut is easily comparable to just adding a bookmark on not just Chrome but any other browser, including Microsoft Edge and Apple's Safari, and clicking on it.

Google's move, however, is understandable, given that Microsoft, which is the biggest backer of ChatGPT creator OpenAI, added shortcuts for its own AI platform, Copilot, not just on Edge but across its Office suite of applications.

That the California-based company's decision was also the next logical move is stating the obvious, given that AI companies are racing to place the powerful technology within users' reach in easier and more convenient ways.

Indeed, Chrome is the world's most popular web browser, having captured nearly two-thirds of the market as of February, according to data from Statista. Safari is a distant second with more than 18 per cent and Edge is third with nearly 5 per cent.

OpenAI, based in San Francisco, and Microsoft already have Chrome shortcuts that can be activated by installing their respective extensions on the browser.

Google is also playing catch-up in the app game, as both ChatGPT and Copilot already have their apps available on iOS and Android.

The company said last week that the Gemini app for Android is now available for download, while those using Apple's iPhones can use the service through the Google iOS app. It did not give a date for the iOS launch.

Also, during last week's Gemini rebranding announcement, Google also said that the company will this week share “more details” for the cloud and developers. Although not officially announced, the Gemini Chrome extension seems to be lined up with this.