Google Chrome has been silently pushing a 4GB AI model to your device without asking

techspot ^ | 05/05/2026 | Daniel Sims

[Vendome]

Ripple effect: Google started turning Chrome, the world's most popular web browser, into an AI browser last year in response to threats from popular AI-native rivals such as OpenAI. Recent reports have uncovered that this transition includes silently installing a large cache of AI weights on an unknown but potentially significant number of devices.

Google Chrome users who have noticed unusual disk activity or unexplained drops in available storage should look for a folder called "OptGuideOnDeviceModel" inside their Chrome directory. It holds roughly 4GB of weights for Google's Gemini Nano LLM, downloaded by the browser without user consent.

Deleting the folder offers no lasting relief – Chrome will simply redownload it. On Windows 11, the folder resides at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\OptGuideOnDeviceModel. It has also been confirmed on Apple Silicon and Ubuntu machines.

Uninstalling Chrome entirely is the most effective way to remove the weights. However, those who wish to continue using the browser might be able to disable the download by entering "chrome://flags" into the address bar, finding an item called "Enables optimization guide on device on Android," and selecting "Disabled" from the adjacent dropdown menu. This is also how users can determine whether their device is eligible for the feature.

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: ai; chrome; do; google; googlechrome; i; not; want

[Vendome]

go to Chrome

1. SETTINGS

2. PRIVACY & SECURITY

3. SECURITY

UNCHECK "ENHANCED"

If you have it on Enhanced protection, it will install the model. If you have it on standard, it will not. Confirmed on my machine

https://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message6166570/pg1

 

 

[T.B. Yoits]

Start

Add/Remove Programs

Uninstall Chrome

[Paladin2]

Does this flow through to Brave?

[RatRipper]

Yup. I loathe Google

[Karliner]

Any way to delete gemeni? Tired of touching phone and that thing just typing out words, back ground, whatever.

[Drago]

Brave has their own version called...”Leo”...default is cloud-based (their servers) but can be configured to use a local AI model:

https://brave.com/leo/

“Brave Leo can run locally on your device using the Bring Your Own Model (BYOM) feature, allowing you to use local AI models for private and secure interactions. However, it also offers cloud-based models as part of its standard functionality.”

[ansel12]

Which phone?

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Thanks for AI deletion post. Bump.

[TexasGator]

“Tired of touching phone and that thing just typing out words,”

That doesn’t happen.

I have Gemini on my phone.

[4Runner]

unexplained drops in available storage

Yes. Over the past month, no way to know when the computer just starts clocking and the last keystroke doesn't register for another two minutes. Then everything is back to normal warp speed an hour later.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Or just don't use Chrome?

Never has been loaded on this computer.

Several attempts by other programs to load it. Always turned down.

[butlerweave]

Does that include Chromium ?

[Karliner]

Well Gemeni starts right up gator when I don’t ask it to on my phone a lot.

[Paladin2]

This is getting complicated....

[Vendome]

I found the file on my computer, deleted and followed the instructions

I’ll check it again in a few days

I dont use chrome very often anyway

[Vendome]

Ill check that tomorrow

[BFW]

Google removed the majority of references to its famous "Don't be evil" motto from its formal Code of Conduct in May 2018.

I took the hint then.

I blocked all google analytics and other links in my host file. I have done the hosts reg hack to increasing size of my hosts file. With out add block it retards and blocks most add links and data suckers. About 95-98%.

[PROCON]

I also use Brave as my browser, have been for years, no problems with it that I remember.

[Red6]

Nasty business that pretends they’re good guys by virtue signalling with LGBTQIA, race, feminist, crap...

[Revel]

When it comes to politics Google AI is the biggest lying sack of crap there is. If you argue with it then it will finally be forced to give in and admit that it “Misled” you. Since it usually contradicts itself during the conversation then all you have to do is point out its own contradictions.