January 28, 2026, 9:18 PM EST. Google expands Gemini in Chrome with a scrollable side panel that sits to the right of a page, making AI-assisted browsing less obtrusive. The update moves the former top box into a larger omnipanel and preserves the ability to reference multiple tabs in prompts. It also adds Nano Banana image editing, letting users right-click an image to edit it in the side panel or start edits via natural language. Google showcased Auto Browse, which lets Gemini take the wheel while you browse. The company cites safety policies and guardrails to curb outputs, but did not address copyright concerns around easier image editing.
