Chromebooks are finally getting Gemini AI integration
Plus: Google is introducing on-device AI for the first time on ChromeOS.
Chromebooks have long been perceived as “Android PCs”. Lightweight, low-fuss devices—great for students, web browsing, and not much else. But that reputation might be about to shift.
Google is bringing Gemini AI directly into ChromeOS, and for the first time, AI on Chromebooks is being integrated, and in some cases, running right on the device itself.
The features rolling out across Chromebook Plus models aim to make these machines feel far more capable. There’s “Select to Search,” which lets you long-press the launcher key or take a screenshot to instantly search anything on your screen. A new “Simplify” tool rewrites dense or technical content in more accessible language, and a “Help Me Read” feature that can summarise long documents into digestible bites.
Meanwhile, the Quick Insert key, which replaced Caps Lock last year, now includes Gemini-powered image generation alongside emojis and smart suggestions. Also, NotebookLM, Google’s AI-enhanced note app, now comes pre-installed and pinned to the shelf. There’s also tighter integration with Workspace tools—captured text can be dropped straight into Calendar or Docs.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
But it only gets better. Google is introducing on-device AI for the first time on ChromeOS. Two smart features, Smart tab grouping and AI photo editing, will now run locally on supported hardware, reducing latency and eliminating the need to send data to the cloud.
All Chromebook Plus devices with modern hardware—at least 8GB of RAM and a newer CPU—will get the full suite of Gemini features. But only one device, for now, supports Google’s first on-device AI: the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. It’s built around a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra chip with a dedicated neural engine, packed into a lightweight 14-inch frame with up to 16GB of RAM and support for two 4K monitors.
Two more Chromebook Plus models from Asus (Asus CX15 and CX14) and one from HP are also on the way.
To boost appeal, Google is bundling a free year of its AI Pro plan with every Chromebook Plus sold this year. That includes Gemini 2.5 Pro, Veo for AI video generation, NotebookLM Pro, and 2TB of cloud storage, bringing a level of functionality that pushes well beyond the platform’s original scope.
For Chromebooks, this marks a meaningful shift. These changes come as Chromebooks continue to hold a steady, if often overlooked, role in the PC market. IDC estimates roughly 6 million units shipped in only Q2 2024, driven by strong demand in education and budget-conscious sectors. In fact, during the pandemic, ChromeOS surpassed macOS as the second most-used desktop OS in the U.S., so they're not exactly niche products.
Still, Chromebooks can't seem to shake off that “Android PCs” perception, shaped by early hardware limitations and a barebones OS. But with Gemini now woven into ChromeOS—and some features running locally—Google seems intent on redefining what Chromebooks can be.
