lGoogle Chrome has reportedly begun silently downloading a 4GB AI model onto users’ devices without requesting permission, raising fresh concerns around privacy, storage usage, and user consent. According to thatprivacyguy, the Gemini Nano weights file is automatically stored inside the “OptGuideOnDeviceModel” directory without any prompt, notification, or approval from users.
The report claims that millions of Chrome users may now unknowingly have the AI model stored on their systems, consuming valuable storage space in the background. Critics argue that the large-scale deployment also carries a significant environmental impact due to the energy required for transferring and storing such massive files globally.
One of the major concerns highlighted is the difficulty users face when trying to remove the file. The report states that manually deleting the “weights.bin” file does not permanently solve the issue, as Chrome allegedly downloads the file again the next time the browser launches.
For Windows users, permanently stopping the download reportedly requires editing the system registry. Mac users, meanwhile, need to disable specific Chrome flags manually through browser settings.
The article further points toward possible legal concerns under European privacy regulations. Under Article 5(3) of the EU’s ePrivacy Directive, companies are required to obtain “prior, freely-given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent” before storing information on a user’s device. Privacy experts cited in the report believe Chrome’s silent installation process may conflict with these requirements.
Environmental concerns were also raised in the report, which estimates that transferring AI models of this size across Chrome’s enormous user base could consume electricity on a massive scale. The article argues that repeated downloads caused by users attempting to delete the files could further increase the overall carbon footprint.
Users who wish to disable the feature reportedly need to take technical steps. Windows users can navigate to “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome,” create a DWORD named “GenAILocalFoundationalModelSettings,” set its value to 1, and restart Chrome. Mac users can disable the feature through chrome://flags by turning off “Enables Optimization Guide On Device.”
The incident has sparked broader debates around digital consent, AI deployment practices, and whether tech companies should be allowed to push large software components onto personal devices without explicit user approval.