Google Secretly Drains 4 GB of PC Storage for AI
Google Chrome is secretly downloading the Gemini Nano artificial intelligence (AI) model, approximately 4 GB in size, to users’ computers without any notification or prior permission request.
This discovery was first revealed by privacy researcher Alexander Hanff. He found a file named “weights.bin” stored in a special Chrome folder, measuring around 4 GB.
The file is known to be the local (on-device) version of the Gemini Nano AI model that Google uses to run several AI features in the Chrome browser.
On Windows 11 operating systems, the file is located in the directory: %LOCALAPPDATA%Data.
Similar files have also been found on Apple Silicon-based Mac devices and Ubuntu Linux computers.
The spotlight is on the fact that the download process occurs 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 of Chrome.
However, it is not just about the storage capacity being “drained”, but also because users are not given clear information about the function of that AI model.
Chrome 147 does introduce an “AI Mode” button in the address bar. Many users assume that the AI feature runs using the locally downloaded Gemini Nano model.
However, according to Hanff’s findings, the AI Mode feature still sends user requests to Google’s servers. Meanwhile, the local Gemini Nano model is actually used for other features like “Help me write”.
Hanff also accuses Google of potentially violating EU privacy rules, specifically the ePrivacy Directive, for storing data on users’ devices without explicit consent.
Google has provided an official response regarding this matter. The company states that Gemini Nano has been available in Chrome since 2024 as a lightweight AI model that runs directly on the device.
Google also mentions that the AI model will be automatically deleted if the device runs low on storage resources.
“In February, we began rolling out the ability for users to turn off and delete the model directly from Chrome settings. Once disabled, the model will no longer be downloaded or updated,” Google said in its official statement.
Users can also manually disable the feature through the chrome://flags menu by searching for the “on-device optimization guide” option and setting it to disabled.
On Windows, users are also said to be able to permanently block the download via registry settings, as summarised by KompasTekno from Android Headlines.