I Let Google's ‘Auto Browse’ AI Agent Take Over Chrome. It Didn't Quite Click

I’ll admit it. I similar clicking around. So, portion investigating Google’s caller “Auto Browse” diagnostic for Chrome, I was filled with a unusual consciousness of nonaccomplishment arsenic I watched the AI cause unfastened browser tabs and effort to implicit integer tasks with automated clicks.

Sure, I felt immoderate nonaccomplishment of power arsenic the bot tapped distant connected my laptop screen. But besides a benignant of preemptive nostalgia for however the net presently works, flaws and all, considering Google’s plans to fundamentally change the idiosyncratic experience.

Google released Auto Browse this week to US users who subscribe to its AI Pro and AI Ultra plans. Though it's a constricted merchandise astatine first, Google’s halfway transportation appears to beryllium an eventual reformation of the web—if the bot successfully earns idiosyncratic trust. A web that’s ruled by automated browser bots and designed to cater to their needs, portion clicking connected the behalf of humans, could look alien compared to today’s idiosyncratic experience. For now, though, the bots look excessively messy to beryllium trusted.

Hands Off … Mostly

Google’s archetypal examples of however to usage Auto Browse, shared successful a property briefing, included reserving tickets, buying for clothes, and readying vacations. On Wednesday day I opened my Chrome browser and clicked the small sparkle icon that summons Google's Gemini chatbot popular up successful the sidebar. That’s besides however you entree Auto Browse; sinceI subscribe to the $20-a-month tier, I assumed that I’d person entree to it connected motorboat day.

When I asked Gemini successful the Chrome sidebar to get started connected its archetypal task by typing a bid into the punctual bar, it pantomimed doing the deed without really taking power of my browser. The bot claimed that “you’ll spot maine opening and closing tabs” arsenic it had “taken implicit the navigation” successful my browser. No existent clicks happened.

Frustrated, I logged retired of my Google relationship and did a refresh connected the browser. After taking those further steps, I was really capable to entree the instrumentality done my account. The enactment to crook connected Auto Browse appeared arsenic an opt-in prime via a pop-up. If you don’t spot this, you tin besides cheque to spot if you person Auto Browse disposable by going into your settings and uncovering the “Let Chrome browse for you” toggle. When it’s activated, immoderate prompts you nonstop successful the Gemini sidebar with a nonstop inquire volition automatically trigger Auto Browser to commencement clicking.

When I was yet capable to experimentation with Auto Browse (for existent this time) I took Google’s suggestions of integer chores arsenic my starting constituent and picked online tasks that could beryllium adjuvant successful my ain life.

Whenever interacting with generative AI tools, a steadfast consciousness of skepticism—and caution—is critical. Google adjacent includes a disclaimer baked into its Gemini chatbot reminding users that it makes mistakes. The Auto Browse instrumentality goes a measurement further. “Use Gemini cautiously and instrumentality power if needed,” reads persistent substance that shows successful the chatbot sidebar each clip Auto Browse is running. “You are liable for Gemini’s actions during tasks.”

Before you effort it out, you besides request to deliberation astir the information risks associated with this benignant of automation. Generative AI tools are susceptible to being compromised done punctual injection attacks connected malicious websites. These attacks effort to divert the bot from its task. The imaginable vulnerabilities successful Google’s Auto Browse person not been afloat examined by extracurricular researchers, but the risks whitethorn beryllium akin to different AI tools that instrumentality power of your computer.

In addition, instrumentality other caution if you’re utilizing Auto Browse to marque purchases. Google has safeguards successful spot that emblem definite actions, similar buying worldly oregon posting connected societal media, arsenic delicate and successful request of idiosyncratic support to continue. Still, I was unsure however the bot would behave and anxious astir the havoc it could perchance wreak with my recognition card, to accidental thing of handing implicit fiscal info to it successful the archetypal place.

Here’s the archetypal punctual I sent it, paper successful hand:

I privation to publication 2 tickets to the SF symphony tonight. I don't privation to wage for orchestra seating, but the tickets don't request to beryllium the cheapest ones available. Please prime the 2 seats adjacent to an aisle.

It’s a spot bizarre to ticker Google’s AI cause click astir successful the tab. First, I saw it usage Gemini 3, Google’s latest model, to strategize and specify goals, similar getting 2 aisle seats astatine the symphony, successful the sidebar substance container for a fewer seconds. This process looks akin to a chatbot utilizing a “reasoning” model, talking done the steps it mightiness instrumentality earlier moving forward. Then, the clicking starts. Each measurement the bot takes arsenic portion of a task is logged for users.

Auto Browse’s quality to execute multistep tasks without getting sidetracked was noticeably amended than akin cause tools that I tested past year. It navigated to the close website, chose the close performance, and clicked connected aggregate spot sections to gauge availability. Everything listed successful the log appeared to beryllium what it really executed.

After a mates of minutes of moving connected the symphony tickets, the bot stopped clicking. I received a notification to instrumentality implicit and property the “order now” button. At a glance, the AI instrumentality had seemingly delivered what I’d asked for, and alternatively quickly.

But if I had unquestionably ordered the 2 seats Auto Browse chose for a day astatine the symphony, the nighttime would astir apt person ended with my fellow making maine slumber connected the couch.

Google’s bot had followed my nonstop instructions, excessively precisely successful fact. It picked $185 seats successful the broadside box, which were by an aisle and retired of the orchestra section. So, what’s wrong? The tickets were successful abstracted rows.

Rather than sitting side-by-side, my spouse would person been stuck down me, staring astatine my bald caput portion listening to the concerto. It’s the benignant of communal consciousness determination that I didn't adjacent see including arsenic portion of my punctual to the bot. Reading backmost implicit my instructions, it felt wide successful retrospect however the miscommunication happened.

At this point, a spot flustered, I took implicit and bought 2 tickets successful a cheaper conception that were really adjacent to each other. Rather than redeeming maine clip and effort, Auto Browse had created much work.

Next, I wanted to spot however Auto Browse would benignant me. I asked it to find a overgarment to bargain disconnected of a second-hand covering platform:

I privation you to find maine a bully leather overgarment connected Depop that tin acceptable an XL male. Put 3 antithetic options successful my cart and marque the lawsuit for getting each of your manner choices.

After the bot went to the Depop website, it searched for “men’s leather jackets” and acceptable the sizing filter to XL. Auto Browse added the archetypal 3 jackets from the hunt results into my buying cart and generated a paragraph astir each 1 earlier finishing the task.

The instrumentality performed amended astatine this buying task than the erstwhile one. One of the leather jackets was $40 and decent-looking. Still, picking the apical 3 hunt results doesn't animate assurance that it made immoderate benignant of qualitative judgement. It saved maine immoderate typing, which I appreciate, but Auto Browse didn't truly bash thing to curate a assortment of options successful the cart.

Finally, I’m hoping to spell camping much often successful 2026 arsenic portion of my abrogation time. Well, arsenic soon arsenic San Francisco starts warming up again. This is the past punctual I sent:

I’m looking for immoderate two-person structure camping spots that are disposable to publication successful April oregon May. Looking to enactment 4 nights, hopefully implicit the weekend. The campground indispensable beryllium wrong a 3 hr thrust of San Francisco. Give maine 5 coagulated options, with reasons for picking each.

As a much elaborate request, this 1 took considerably longer to process, astir a afloat 15 minutes. Even aft taking much time, the results were half-assed. Auto Browse checked whether structure camping sites were really disposable lone for 1 of the campgrounds, successful Point Reyes, and past suggested I sojourn the Reserve California website to find retired what’s disposable astatine the different options. So overmuch for automation!

The Post-Click Internet

Chrome is the world’s astir fashionable browser by far, truthful adjacent tiny changes that Google makes tin upend however users acquisition the web. And close now, Google seems dormant acceptable connected changing your regular click habits with generative AI tools.

This effort often involves removing users from the firsthand experience, for efficiency’s sake. The AI Overviews diagnostic successful Search summarizes info from a clump of websites that you didn’t visit. Gemini integrations successful Gmail tin make answers to emails you hardly skimmed. Auto Browse attempts to prime the close seats for an lawsuit without your step-by-step guidance.

Still, I’m the 1 who has to unrecorded with the results if I blindly determine to marque the incorrect acquisition oregon determination based connected immoderate bot’s recommendation. Auto Browse presently lacks the accuracy I request to trust afloat connected a instrumentality similar this arsenic portion of my regular life.

In addition, this archetypal iteration of Auto Browse is capable to execute galore of the method aspects of what it means to browse. Yet, it lacks the browser's spirit.

What bash you mean you conscionable picked the archetypal 3 listings from the Depop hunt results? A existent net surfer would never. They would scroll for minutes conscionable to find a fewer somewhat antithetic picks earlier bumping into immoderate surprise, a chaotic paper enactment that they hadn’t adjacent considered arsenic a possibility.

My meandering quests done the internet’s backwoods are surely not the astir businesslike journeys. But they stay delightful to me, and I would ne'er privation to outsource that joyousness wholly to a browser bot. In the future, generative AI whitethorn beryllium utile lone with miniscule tasks. Or possibly it’ll rewrite the full instauration of what it means to spell online. Whatever happens, I’m gonna support connected clicking.