Google has released the newest update to its Chrome web browser and it boasts some new AI features and several important security patches, reports ghacks.net.
Chrome 121 is now available to users but the two main feature updates are only limited to a specific set of users at present, with no specific timeframe on when all users will have access to the new AI functionality.
The security fixes, though, are available to everyone who updates their Chrome browser to Chrome 121. This update includes patches for 17 different security issues, although Google hasn’t listed them all on the official Chrome Release Blog. There are no critical issues in this update but there are fixes to use after free in WebAudio and inappropriate implementations in Downloads and Accessibility.
The two new AI features are Tab Organizer and AI theme creations.
How can I get Google Chrome 121?
Most Chrome installations will automatically receive the update but for those who aren’t willing to wait, you can click Menu > Help > About Google Chrome or go to chrome://settings/help directly to run a manual update. This will allow Chrome to download and install updates automatically, but a restart of the browser is always required.
Once the update is installed, you should see one of the following versions listed on the About Chrome page:
- Chrome for Mac and Linux: 121.0.6167.85
- Chrome for Windows: 121.0.6167.85 or 121.0.6167.86
What are Google Chrome 121’s new AI features?
The two main new features included in Chrome 121 are the introduction of Tab Organizer and theme creations, both of which are AI-based tools. They are two of the three AI tools Google revealed in The Keyword blog. The third – a tool that helps users draft copy for things such as product reviews, RSVPs and web inquiries – appears to remain in the queue for now.
Google Chrome Tab Organizer
This tool suggests tab groups in the browser based on URLs and the titles of websites and is limited to small group of signed-in users in the US for the time being. If it is available, users can simply right-click on a tab and select ‘Organize similar tabs’ to let the AI do its thing by suggesting open tabs that it believes would make up a group. Users must still manually create the group, but that requires simply clicking ‘create group’ in the tab organizer.
Users can also configure the Tab Organizer settings to control the feature in future Chrome versions.
AI Theme Creation
This feature adds AI theme creations to the browser and is also currently available to limited signed-in users in the US.
To use, simply select the Customize Chrome link on the browser’s New Tab page. Once loaded, choose Change theme > Create with AI. From here you can select a subject, mood, style and color to generate a set of themes.
Users can also configure the Create Theme settings to control the feature in future Chrome versions.
What other changes are in Chrome 121?
There are some smaller changes for users to enjoy in Chrome 121.
- The Side Panel icon has been removed from the main toolbar.
- Google’s third-party cookie depreciation continues, with around 1% of Chrome users now having third-party cookies disabled already.
- Users are now able to view clicked links on supported web apps if they’re supported. Chrome displays a chip in the address bar to suggest switching to the installed app.
- Standard Safe Browsing may now prompt users for the password of an encrypted archive. Google says the password is used locally and is not shared with Google directly.
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The post “Google Chrome 121: New version of browser has AI features” by James Jones was published on 01/24/2024 by readwrite.com