- Google Chrome is downloading a 4GB AI model file called weights.bin to user devices without asking for permission.
- Deleting the file triggers an automatic re-download, and the local model does not power the browser’s prominent “AI Mode” feature.
- A privacy researcher argues this behavior violates EU privacy law, specifically the ePrivacy Directive.
Google Chrome has been silently downloading a 4GB AI model file to eligible devices, a discovery made by a privacy researcher using automated audits. The file, named weights.bin and containing the Gemini Nano model, lands in Chrome’s user data folder without any opt-in prompt for users on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Consequently, this has been causing unexplained storage consumption for over a year.
The browser automatically re-downloads the file if a user deletes it. However, Chrome’s prominent “AI Mode” button does not utilize this local model at all. Instead, it routes all queries to Google’s cloud servers, meaning users bear the storage cost for a feature they are not using privately.
Privacy researcher Alexander Hanff uncovered this behavior and argues it is illegal in the EU. He contends it violates Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive, which requires prior consent for storage. Hanff also drew parallels to a similar case involving Anthropic’s Claude Desktop software.
Meanwhile, Google states the model powers on-device AI features like “Help me write” and scam detection. The company told Android Authority that a toggle to disable the feature was added in February. Google’s own developer documentation advises alerting users about such downloads, a best practice it did not follow itself.
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