How to Utilize Google Chrome’s Latest AI-Enhanced Features

Google Chrome has just introduced a new generative AI feature: Skills. Skills are repeatable AI prompts that can be activated in Chrome using a keyboard shortcut. This adds to the growing list of AI tools Google has integrated into its software. You can create your own Skill using Gemini, Google’s chatbot, directly in the Chrome browser, or select from the pre-made Skills Google has launched with this feature. The Skills library offers over 50 presets covering prompts that direct Gemini to summarize YouTube videos, optimize your protein intake through recipe alternatives, or assess job listings.

To explore Skills, open the Gemini sidebar in Chrome by clicking on the “Ask Gemini” sparkle icon located in the upper-right corner of the screen. Then, enter a forward slash in the prompt box to choose which Skill you wish to execute. Once selected, Gemini will analyze the details from the browser tabs you’ve shared, based on the parameters outlined in the Skill.

Here’s an example of a prompt from Google for a “Protein Maximizer” Skill, demonstrating how these can guide Gemini in Chrome:

Analyze the recipe on the current webpage, identify all ingredients, and estimate their protein content. Suggest substitutions or additions to maximize the overall protein content of the recipe, while maintaining the integrity of the original recipe’s flavor profile. Output the revised recipe with protein content listed for each ingredient and the total protein per serving.

From my experience using generative AI features across various browsers, I wouldn’t be surprised if these tools exhibit some glitches at launch and gradually improve over the coming months. It’s also easy to envision this type of browser tool appealing to productivity enthusiasts eager to streamline their workflows and reduce clicks. However, Skills seems like the kind of AI feature that most Chrome users might not even realize exists while they’re navigating the web.

For those who are not interested in this feature but still wish to use Chrome, there’s an option to remove the Ask Gemini button. Simply go to Settings, open the AI Innovations tab, and navigate to the Gemini in Chrome section. Ensure that the top toggle on that page is switched off. Once this setting is disabled, the Ask Gemini button will vanish from the top of the Chrome browser.

Google’s enhancements to its Chrome browser for the AI era gained momentum earlier this year with the embedding of Gemini in the Chrome sidebar, promoting it as a constant assistant on the right side of your screen, always prepared to address questions about your web activity. The company has also experimented with leveraging generative AI to navigate the web on behalf of users.

Google isn’t the only entity working to make AI prompts more user-friendly. The Opera Neon browser, a smaller competitor to Chrome based in Norway, offers a similar tool called Cards, enabling users to reuse their own prompts or select from a preset library. Popular options on Opera Neon include task prioritization, movie night planning, and budget-friendly travel scheduling.