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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: Dude111 on May 17, 2026, 0717 UTC

Title: Chrome Is Silently d/l AI onto your PC
Post by: Dude111 on May 17, 2026, 0717 UTC

www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2026/05/google-chromes-silent-4gb-ai-download-problem?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=b2c_pro_oth_20260511_mayweeklynewsletter_us_v2_1_177827061769&utm_content=Chrome_logo (http://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2026/05/google-chromes-silent-4gb-ai-download-problem?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=b2c_pro_oth_20260511_mayweeklynewsletter_us_v2_1_177827061769&utm_content=Chrome_logo)

Quote

Google Chrome has been quietly downloading a 4GB AI model onto users devices without asking first.

(It) has been silently installing Gemini Nano, Googles on-device AI model, as a file called weights.bin stored in the OptGuideOnDeviceModel directory within users Chrome profiles. This 4GB download happens automatically when Chrome determines your device meets the hardware requirements. It does not ask for consent, and sends no notification,not even one of those annoying cookie banners you've learned to dismiss without reading.

Note 4GB

For many they may not notice,but those with limits,it will cost you money.

Also no notice about forcing this on people who dont want it,and if you get that mess off of your PC,during the next "windows update" will reinstall it again.

How to get rid of it:

1) Dont use the Chrome browser/Chromium browser.

2) Stop using Windows.

3) You dont want to stop using the Chrome/Chromium browser,click the link above and it will give you instructions. (The best instructions are in the comments.)

I am getting really tired of these companies forcing things on to our PCs or peoples phones.

Title: Re: Chrome Is Silently d/l AI onto your PC
Post by: BoomboxDX on May 21, 2026, 1744 UTC

None of these software companies should be filling your hard drive without your permission, especially when it's 100's of megabytes worth, and they're hogging your internet bandwidth in the process.

After reading the article, it reflects a very disturbing trend in software these days.

Big Tech Software companies act more and more like malware and spyware used to act in the 90's and 2000's. The same techniques, and a lot of the same principles are involved. Load itself onto your device, and if you find it and uninstall it, it pops back up again. And don't forget the keyloggers and other sorts of spyware-like processes that used to be the purvey of viruses and trojans, but today seem to be the new software business model. It's not just the big tech companies, either. From what I understand, a lot of apps people load on their phones and laptops have these capabilities.

Title: Chrome Is Silently d/l AI onto your PC
Post by: Dude111 on May 22, 2026, 0150 UTC

Ya we all have to be aware and not let them intrude on us!

Title: Re: Chrome Is Silently d/l AI onto your PC
Post by: BoomboxDX on May 22, 2026, 1048 UTC

The government really needs to regulate some of this activity, but it won't.

I can't sell my neighbor an incandescent lightbulb without it being a Federal crime ($500 fine per bulb), but Big Tech can cram gigabytes of garbage on my hard drive without my permission. It just shows one of the weaknesses of our governmental system. Doesn't matter which party. It's baked in to the way things operate in DC.