Recently, some Google Chrome users have found that the browser silently downloads and stores about 4GB of local AI model files without user consent, mainly for the Gemini Nano-related features. This behavior has caused unexpected reduction in user disk space and frequent disk read/write activities, leading to widespread concerns about privacy and compliance.
What is more concerning is that even if users manually delete the relevant folder, Chrome will automatically re-download the model later, unless users take additional measures to disable the relevant functions or choose to completely uninstall the browser. Affected users can find a folder named "OptGuideOnDeviceModel" in Chrome's configuration directory, which contains the weight data of the Google Gemini Nano large language model. This folder is usually located at the path "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\OptGuideOnDeviceModel" on Windows 11 systems, and similar download behaviors have also been confirmed on Apple Silicon Macs and Ubuntu devices.
If users want to avoid Chrome forcing the download of these local AI models, they can type "chrome://flags" in the browser address bar, search for the experimental option "Enables optimization guide on device on Android", and change its status from default to "Disabled". This way, users can try to prevent the download of the related models. However, as of now, completely uninstalling Chrome remains the most effective way to remove the model files.
The first confirmation of this silent download behavior came from Alexander Hanff, who has a background in both computer science and law. He tracked it through the macOS kernel file system logs, and then more and more users reported that this behavior has been ongoing for nearly a year. This incident is closely related to a series of AI features introduced by Chrome last autumn, including writing assistance and AI summaries. Notably, some significant AI features in Chrome actually run on Google servers, not relying on this 4GB local model.
Regarding the compliance of this behavior, Hanff has formally accused Google of violating European privacy regulations, arguing that the company forced the push of large-capacity data files to devices without users' explicit knowledge and consent. With Google's large user base, this practice is considered an infringement of users' control over local storage and bandwidth resources and may conflict with EU privacy regulations. At present, Google has not made a detailed response regarding compliance risks and subsequent remedial measures, and whether regulatory authorities will intervene remains to be seen.
Key Points:
📦 Some Chrome users have had AI model files of 4GB downloaded silently by the browser without their consent.
🔄 After manually deleting the folder, Chrome will automatically re-download it, and users need to specifically disable the relevant functions.
⚖️ Users have filed accusations against Google, claiming that its behavior violates European privacy regulations.
