Updated
Updated · Yahoo · Jun 27
Google Adds Gemini Screen-Selection Tool in Chrome 149 as It Pushes More Contextual AI
Updated
Updated · Yahoo · Jun 27

Google Adds Gemini Screen-Selection Tool in Chrome 149 as It Pushes More Contextual AI

1 articles · Updated · Yahoo · Jun 27

Summary

  • Chrome 149 is rolling out a new Gemini "Select from screen" tool that lets users highlight text or images on a webpage and send them directly into a prompt.
  • The feature appears in Gemini's "+" menu and works like a built-in screenshot selector, reducing the need to manually describe what is visible in the current tab.
  • Google said some users may need to restart Chrome before the capability appears, as the update is being released gradually.
  • The move fits Google's broader push to make Gemini act less like a standalone chatbot and more like an assistant aware of what users are doing on screen.
  • The same day, Google also opened Gemini 3.5 Flash computer-use capabilities to developers, extending that context-aware approach to browser, mobile and desktop automation.

Insights

Gemini can now click and type for you. What happens when this powerful new automation goes wrong?
As AI sees our screens and surroundings, where is the line between helpful context and invasive surveillance?