The company wants to make Chromebooks even smarter and more curious.
After Microsoft introduced the new "Recall" feature for Windows 11, which allows the operating system to remember recent user actions, heated discussions unfolded on the web. Some consider it a useful feature, while others are afraid of threats to privacy. Meanwhile, Google is closely monitoring the public reaction and is considering integrating a similar feature codenamed " memory "into its Chrome OS for budget Chromebooks.
In a detailed interview, John Solomon, Google's vice president in charge of Chrome OS, shared the company's plans to introduce AI technologies to the budget segment. The project looks especially relevant against the background of the release of new AI-enabled processors from Microsoft and other manufacturers, such as Copilot+ PCs based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite-an ARM chip that is already used in Chromebooks.
According to Solomon, Google is particularly interested in the idea of a system that can "remember the context" of user actions. "Imagine you're working on a Chromebook, then you're distracted by a conversation at the cooler, and then you go back to your interrupted activity. The "memory" function could restore the state of the desktop and running applications at the stage when you went on a break, " he explained.
Solomon said that he consults with the team that developed the concept of "Project Astra" - a system that can remember the location of objects using a camera. However, to implement the memory feature in Chrome OS, you will have to use a slightly different approach, since most Chromebooks do not come with additional cameras.
An extremely important point, according to Solomon, is the full control of the user over the new feature. This will help avoid the so-called "creepy factor "that many people experience due to Recall in Windows 11." Some people find Recall intimidating because it works without the user's knowledge and does not give them obvious advantages," he explained. "If the user decides to enable recording of what is happening on the screen, for example, during an important meeting for later creating notes, then this feature will be useful. But it is unacceptable to impose its use.
The interview also addressed the question of the future of "regular" Chromebooks without advanced AI capabilities after Google launches Chromebooks Plus with a focus on artificial intelligence and specialized neuroprocessors. In addition, it was discussed whether Google plans to use the Snapdragon X Elite processor in future Chromebook models.
Thus, Google is trying to find a balance between using AI technologies to create useful functions and strictly preserving the privacy of data and user control over their devices on Chrome OS.
After Microsoft introduced the new "Recall" feature for Windows 11, which allows the operating system to remember recent user actions, heated discussions unfolded on the web. Some consider it a useful feature, while others are afraid of threats to privacy. Meanwhile, Google is closely monitoring the public reaction and is considering integrating a similar feature codenamed " memory "into its Chrome OS for budget Chromebooks.
In a detailed interview, John Solomon, Google's vice president in charge of Chrome OS, shared the company's plans to introduce AI technologies to the budget segment. The project looks especially relevant against the background of the release of new AI-enabled processors from Microsoft and other manufacturers, such as Copilot+ PCs based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite-an ARM chip that is already used in Chromebooks.
According to Solomon, Google is particularly interested in the idea of a system that can "remember the context" of user actions. "Imagine you're working on a Chromebook, then you're distracted by a conversation at the cooler, and then you go back to your interrupted activity. The "memory" function could restore the state of the desktop and running applications at the stage when you went on a break, " he explained.
Solomon said that he consults with the team that developed the concept of "Project Astra" - a system that can remember the location of objects using a camera. However, to implement the memory feature in Chrome OS, you will have to use a slightly different approach, since most Chromebooks do not come with additional cameras.
An extremely important point, according to Solomon, is the full control of the user over the new feature. This will help avoid the so-called "creepy factor "that many people experience due to Recall in Windows 11." Some people find Recall intimidating because it works without the user's knowledge and does not give them obvious advantages," he explained. "If the user decides to enable recording of what is happening on the screen, for example, during an important meeting for later creating notes, then this feature will be useful. But it is unacceptable to impose its use.
The interview also addressed the question of the future of "regular" Chromebooks without advanced AI capabilities after Google launches Chromebooks Plus with a focus on artificial intelligence and specialized neuroprocessors. In addition, it was discussed whether Google plans to use the Snapdragon X Elite processor in future Chromebook models.
Thus, Google is trying to find a balance between using AI technologies to create useful functions and strictly preserving the privacy of data and user control over their devices on Chrome OS.
