Google has announced a significant upgrade to its Gemini AI integration within the Chrome browser, introducing a new feature called "Skills". The tool, unveiled on Tuesday, enables users to save and repeatedly execute their favourite AI prompts across various webpages without manual re-entry. This development arrives as competition in the AI-powered browser market intensifies with new entrants like OpenAI's Atlas and Perplexity's Comet.
The feature is designed to build upon the existing Gemini capabilities in Chrome, which already allow for webpage summarisation and question-answering. By allowing prompts to be saved as reusable Skills, Google aims to streamline common user workflows directly within the browser interface.
How the New Feature Works
To create a Skill, users can save a prompt directly from their Gemini chat history. Once saved, it can be activated in two ways: by typing a forward slash (/) or by clicking the plus sign (+) button within the Gemini sidebar. The AI action then runs on the currently viewed webpage and any additional tabs the user has selected.
Google provided a practical example: a user who frequently asks Gemini to suggest vegan substitutions on recipe sites can now save that query as a permanent Skill. Early testing indicated popular use cases include calculating nutritional macros, comparing shopping options, and summarising lengthy documents.
Launching with a Pre-Built Library
To accelerate adoption, Google is launching a companion Skills library featuring pre-programmed workflows for common tasks. This library will cover areas such as productivity, shopping, recipes, and budgeting. Users can add these templates to their saved Skills and customise the underlying prompts to better fit their specific needs.
Google confirmed that, consistent with other Gemini actions, Skills will request user confirmation before performing sensitive tasks like sending an email or adding a calendar event. The company also noted that saved Skills can be edited at any time after creation.
Rollout and Availability
The Skills feature begins its global rollout today to desktop users of the Chrome browser who are signed into their Google account. However, a significant initial limitation is that the functionality will only work if the browser's language is set to English (US). There is no announced timeline for support of additional languages, including British English.
This strategic enhancement solidifies Chrome's position in the evolving landscape where browsers are increasingly defined by their integrated AI assistants, moving beyond traditional search to offer persistent, personalised automation.