Skip to content

Google Chrome silently installs 4 GB Gemini Nano AI model

techMay 5, 202614259

That Privacy Guy and Sinaptica found Google Chrome automatically downloads a 4 GB Gemini Nano language-model weights file and stores it in a folder named OptGuideOnDeviceM. The downloads began in May 2026 and have placed the file on millions of machines without a visible opt-in; deleting the file causes Chrome to re-download it unless users disable Chrome's AI features via chrome://flags or apply an enterprise policy. Researchers warn the push consumes significant bandwidth and local storage, and That Privacy Guy estimated the cumulative climate impact could equal the CO2 emissions of roughly 1,300 European cars. This matters because unexpected 4 GB downloads strain devices with limited storage or metered connections, raise privacy and compliance concerns, and give users little control over on-device AI components.

3 sources