Chrome Is Silently Installing a 4GB AI Model on Your Computer – and It Keeps Coming Back

If you use Chrome, you may have recently noticed your browser using more disk space than usual. According to multiple reports, Google has started automatically downloading a large on-device AI model (roughly 4 GB) onto users’ computers without asking for permission. And if you try to delete it, it often returns.

Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and how you can stop it.

What Happened

Earlier this month, users on forums and tech news sites (including Decrypt and Yahoo Tech) documented that Chrome was quietly installing a local AI model meant for on‑device features like smart replies and translation. The model is stored in Chrome’s data folder and takes up several gigabytes.

The more surprising part: even after manually deleting the model, Chrome would re‑download it on its own. This suggests the browser is either designed to treat the model as essential or that some internal flag forces its installation.

Around the same time, Decrypt reported that Google had removed a privacy promise related to on‑device AI from its official statements. That promise originally stated that data processed by on‑device AI would not leave your machine. Its removal has raised concerns about what Google might now be doing with that data.

Why It Matters

There are three practical issues here:

  1. Loss of user control. A program that installs several gigabytes of software without consent, and then reinstalls it after deletion, is behaving more like malware than a browser. Even if the AI model is benign, users should decide what goes on their own storage.

  2. Storage consumption. 4 GB is a lot for a browser component, especially on systems with limited SSD space. Many laptops still ship with 128 GB or 256 GB drives, and this kind of silent download eats into that capacity without warning.

  3. Privacy uncertainty. Google’s original on‑device AI promise meant your data stayed local. Removing that language doesn’t necessarily mean they’re now uploading everything, but it does mean they are no longer publicly committing to that standard. For users who rely on Chrome’s privacy stance, that change is unsettling.

It’s also worth noting that the AI model is not necessary for basic browsing. Unless you actively use Chrome’s experimental AI features, you likely don’t need it at all.

What You Can Do Right Now

You can check whether the model is present on your computer and stop it from coming back.

1. Check if the model is installed

On Windows, look inside the Chrome user data folder:

C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\OnDeviceAI

On macOS, the path is roughly:

~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/OnDeviceAI

If that folder contains files totaling multiple gigabytes, the model is already there. You can delete it manually, but as reported, Chrome may redownload it.

2. Disable AI features in Chrome settings

Go to chrome://settings and search for “AI”. Look for settings like “Try out experimental AI features” or “On‑device AI”. Turn them off. This may prevent the browser from downloading new models, but it might not remove one that’s already installed.

3. Use Chrome flags to disable installation

For a stronger block, open a new tab and go to chrome://flags. Search for “AI”. You’ll find flags such as:

  • “Enable on‑device AI” or “On‑Device AI Model Execution”
  • “Enables on‑device AI download”

Set any such flag to Disabled or Never. Chrome will then skip the download on startup and after updates.

Be aware that flags can change or disappear over time. This method is not permanent, but it works for now.

4. Monitor for re‑installation

After disabling the flags, restart Chrome and check the OnDeviceAI folder again after a day or two. If files reappear, you may need to revisit the flags or switch to a browser that respects user consent more strictly.

Sources

  • Decrypt: “Chrome Deletes Its Own Privacy Promise for Sneaky On-Device AI” (May 7, 2026)
  • Yahoo Tech: “Chrome Is Quietly Installing a 4GB AI Model on Your Computer—And Putting It Back If You Delete It” (May 6, 2026)
  • User forum discussions on Reddit and Hacker News (May 2026)

Take a few minutes to check your Chrome setup. For most people, that silent 4 GB is completely unnecessary, and you should be the one deciding what goes on your own computer.