Google expands Gemini in Chrome to 7 new countries

At a glance:

• Gemini in Chrome now available in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam
• Feature includes sidebar assistant, Personal Intelligence, and Nano Banana 2 image transformation
• Agentic browser control remains U.S.-only, limited to AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers

Gemini in Chrome goes global

Google has announced the rollout of its Gemini in Chrome feature to seven additional markets, marking a significant expansion of its AI-powered browsing experience. The new countries gaining access include Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. This move follows earlier launches in the United States, India, Canada, and New Zealand, positioning Gemini as a truly global browsing assistant.

The feature is being deployed across both desktop and iOS platforms in all these countries except Japan, where it will initially be desktop-only. Google has been steadily integrating Gemini deeper into Chrome since last year, evolving from a simple floating window to a more sophisticated sidebar-based assistant that can interact with multiple tabs and services.

What Gemini in Chrome can do

The sidebar assistant brings several powerful capabilities to users' fingertips. At its core is the Personal Intelligence feature, which allows Gemini to connect with services like Gmail and Google Photos to provide personalized answers based on a user's own data. This integration means users can ask questions that span across their personal information while maintaining privacy controls.

Beyond answering questions, the feature enables practical productivity tasks directly within the browser. Users can schedule meetings through Calendar integration, check location details via Maps, and even draft and send emails using Gmail—all without leaving their current browsing session. The sidebar also includes Nano Banana 2, a tool for transforming images found on the web, adding creative capabilities to the browsing experience.

Agentic features remain limited

While the basic Gemini in Chrome experience is expanding globally, Google's more advanced agentic features remain restricted. These capabilities, which can control the browser window to complete tasks autonomously on a user's behalf, are still in testing phase and only available to subscribers of the AI Pro and AI Ultra paid plans in the United States.

This tiered approach suggests Google is taking a cautious path with the most powerful automation features, likely to ensure reliability and user control before wider deployment. The company appears to be using its U.S. user base as a testing ground for these more advanced capabilities before considering international expansion.

The broader AI browser landscape

Google's expansion of Gemini in Chrome comes as browser-based AI assistants become increasingly competitive. Microsoft has been aggressively integrating Copilot into Edge, while OpenAI has hinted at browser-related developments. By expanding Gemini's reach, Google is positioning itself to maintain Chrome's dominance in the face of growing AI competition.

The timing also aligns with Google's broader strategy of embedding AI across its product ecosystem. The company has been working to make Gemini a central part of the user experience, from search to productivity tools, and the browser represents a crucial touchpoint where users spend significant time online.

What's next for Gemini in Chrome

Industry observers will be watching closely to see when Google extends the agentic features beyond the U.S. and whether the company introduces additional capabilities as the feature matures globally. The expansion to seven new countries suggests Google sees strong international demand for AI-assisted browsing, and further rollouts to additional markets seem likely.

As AI becomes more deeply integrated into everyday tools, the competition between tech giants to provide the most useful and seamless AI experiences will only intensify. Google's global expansion of Gemini in Chrome represents a significant step in this ongoing battle for user attention and productivity in the AI era.