Summary
- Google’s AI assistant, Gemini Live, could be coming to Chrome. Early code hints suggest a floating window UI accessible via a new icon in the tab strip.
- This browser integration could make Gemini Live even more accessible, potentially working on Windows, Linux, and Mac versions of Chrome.
- Features like a dedicated settings menu and keyboard shortcut customization suggest a robust Gemini Live implementation.
Gemini Assistant is a major boon for users deeply ingrained in the Google ecosystem, thanks to a host of recent integrations that provide access to many of your favorite apps as extensions in Gemini, including Spotify, WhatsApp, Google Home, etc.
Additionally, the chatbot’s Gemini Live conversational assistant, featuring natural-sounding spoken dialogue capabilities, became free for everyone in September, and it even landed on iOS with a standalone Gemini app in September. For reference, the conversational assistant was previously exclusive to Gemini Advanced subscribers ($20/month).
Related
What is Gemini Live from Google?
Google’s new voice assistant
Now, in an effort to further expand the availability and functionality of Gemini Live, Google appears to be working on integrating the conversational assistant into Google Chrome – and there are clues to support this argument, at least on Chrome for the Web.
As Chrome researcher Leopeva64 pointed out on X (Twitter), just one a little over a month agoallowing certain flags to cause a new exclamation point icon to appear on Chrome’s tab strip. Currently a placeholder, tapping the icon triggers a floating window – which apparently hosts the Gemini Live UI.
According to code found in Chromium Gerrit, the implementation of the feature is known internally as GLIC, which is likely short for Gemini Live in Chrome. Work to integrate Gemini Live into Chrome has been underway since early November, with a dedicated feature indicator added on November 8. For what it’s worth, enabling the GLIC flag on Chrome Canary doesn’t bring up the tab strip icon for me, but it does add a dedicated GLIC section in Chrome’s settings (more info about it + a screenshot below).
Code hints at Chrome support on Windows, Linux, and Mac
Although Chrome’s GLIC implementation may change by the time it’s officially rolled out, early code scans suggest that Gemini Live the floating window will be resizablethe tool will have a dedicated space status bar iconA Settings Menuand even a keyboard shortcut which users will likely be able to customize for quick access. In addition to Windows, GLIC will also be available on Chrome for Linux And Mac.
Leopeva also pointed out that GLIC needs access to your microphone and location, adding credence to the claim that it is indeed short for Gemini Live in Chrome. GLIC’s Settings menu backs up these claims, given that it offers toggles for location, microphone, and current tab access, as well as an option to “view and manage your activity.” Note: Enabling the “Feature in your menu” option does not bring up the tab strip icon for me.
