Google Chrome Users Should Check Immediately: 4 GB AI File Downloaded Without Permission on Laptop

Users of the Google Chrome browser should promptly check the storage capacity of their laptops or PCs. Reports indicate that Chrome is secretly downloading a Gemini Nano artificial intelligence (AI) model file, approximately 4 GB in size, without any notification or user permission. This discovery was first revealed by privacy researcher Alexander Hanff, who found a file named “weights.bin” stored in a dedicated Chrome folder, reaching around 4 GB. The file is known to be the local (on-device) version of the Gemini Nano AI model used by Google to run various AI features in the Chrome browser. To check for it, follow these steps: [Note: Specific checking instructions for Windows, Mac, and Linux are omitted here as they were incomplete in the original article, but users can verify via file explorers or terminal commands as appropriate.] Similar files have also been found on Apple Silicon-based Mac devices and Ubuntu Linux computers. For Mac users, open Terminal and enter the following command: [Note: Command details incomplete in source.] The key issue is that the download process runs in the background without any notification to users. According to reports, the automatic download is triggered when Chrome’s AI features are activated, which are enabled by default in the latest version. The 4 GB file size is considered burdensome for some users, particularly those with laptops having small storage capacities like 256 GB or limited internet data quotas. However, the concern extends beyond storage usage to the lack of information provided to users about the AI model’s functions. Chrome version 147 introduces an “AI Mode” button in the address bar. Many users assume this AI feature runs using the locally downloaded Gemini Nano model. Hanff also accuses Google of potentially breaching EU privacy rules, specifically the ePrivacy Directive, by storing data on users’ devices without explicit consent. Google has issued an official response, stating that Gemini Nano has been available in Chrome since 2024 as a lightweight AI model that runs directly on the device.