Google integrates AI Mode directly into Chrome with side panel and address bar prompts
Google is integrating AI Mode directly into Chrome's interface across desktop and mobile. The update adds inline prompts on the New Tab Page, a side panel for conversations alongside web browsing, and address bar access with file upload capabilities.
Google AI Mode Gets Native Chrome Integration
Google is embedding AI Mode directly into Chrome's user interface across desktop, Android, and iOS, replacing the previous redirect to a separate website.
Desktop Features
On desktop, clicking "AI Mode" on Chrome's New Tab Page now opens an inline prompt box instead of navigating to a separate site. When users click links within AI Mode responses, the conversation shrinks into a side panel, allowing simultaneous browsing and follow-up questions about the current page or YouTube video.
According to Google, early testers reported less tab switching and better focus when "having both Search and the web side-by-side."
Chrome's address bar now functions as a full AI Mode prompt box. The plus button enables users to:
- Add recent tabs for context
- Upload images and files
- Create images
- Access Deep Search and Canvas
- Switch between Gemini 3 models
The system supports mixing multiple input types in a single prompt.
Mobile Integration
On Android and iOS, tapping the search bar on the New Tab Page opens the fullscreen search interface. The search pill expands into a prompt box as users type.
The mobile plus menu provides access to:
- Camera
- Gallery
- Files
- Tabs (with grid UI for selecting open pages)
Availability
The expanded AI Mode integration is rolling out starting today in US English for Chrome on desktop, Android, and iOS. Google plans to add more countries and languages in the future but has not specified a timeline.
What This Means
This represents Google's most aggressive integration of AI assistance into its browser, mirroring Microsoft's Copilot sidebar approach in Edge. By eliminating the navigation step to a separate AI Mode website and adding context-aware features like tab selection, Google is positioning Chrome as an AI-first browser rather than a browser with AI features. The side panel implementation appears designed to keep users in Chrome rather than switching between the browser and standalone AI chat interfaces.
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