I really hope Google’s Gemini Nano is what powers Chromebook Plus AI features

One of the coolest parts of Google’s initial presentation for Chromebook Plus included some nifty AI tools that will be baked into ChromeOS for devices that meet the Chromebook Plus specifications. Sure, the new on-device camera features are nice to have and new wallpapers and screensavers are cool, too, but the on-device AI is what we’re all really waiting for that will truly separate Chromebook Plus moving forward.

Google’s Gemini Nano AI sounds like a perfect fit

Part of Google’s announcement barrage today surrounding the powerful new Gemini AI Model was the fact that it will come in three “sizes” for different applications. While the Ultra variety will come a bit down the road, Gemini Pro and Gemini Nano are being implemented right away. Gemini Pro launched with Bard right away, and the new updates found in the Pixel Feature Drop include a few goodies powered by Gemini Nano on the Pixel 8 Pro.

And that sort of on-device AI is precisely what we’re expecting for ChromeOS in the early parts of 2024. Google has already told us that tools like AI-generated text, wallpapers, and video call backgrounds were coming to Chromebook Plus in 2024, and it is exactly the type of activities that it sounds like Gemini Nano will be perfectly suited for.

The future is coming where all of our computing devices – phones, tablets, and laptops – will leverage AI in one way, shape or form. Google is in a position to lead the charge for sure, and Gemini Nano is a big step in that direction. With Chromebook Plus, we could have the first generation of AI-powered laptops that do new things with AI that are genuinely helpful for the user. That’s a window Google doesn’t need to miss for Chromebooks, and it really seems like things are coming together to make it all happen very, very soon.