Google is putting its Gemini AI directly into the browser for African users. The company has begun rolling out AI-powered Chrome features, led by a Gemini assistant, in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, three of the continent’s biggest internet markets.
The headline addition is Gemini in Chrome’s side panel, which lets users ask questions about a web page, summarise it, or pull together information across several open tabs without switching between them. It also connects to Google’s Workspace tools, so a user can draft and send an email from the panel or check Calendar and Maps.
What is included
- A Gemini assistant in the Chrome side panel that works across open tabs.
- Personal Intelligence that connects Gmail, Photos, YouTube and Search.
- AI image editing through Google’s Nano Banana tool.
- Security protections, including detection of “prompt-injection” attempts, where hidden instructions on a web page try to hijack the AI, and an extra confirmation step before sensitive actions.
The features are arriving first on desktop and iOS, with Android users able to summon Gemini by holding the power button. Gemini in Chrome is reaching Mac, Windows and Chromebook Plus devices.
Part of a wider Africa push
“We’re evolving the browsing experience by bringing Chrome’s powerful AI features to more regions and languages,” said Charmaine Dsilva, a director of product management at Google.
The launch is the latest in Google’s steady expansion of consumer AI on the continent, alongside programmes such as its Hustle Academy for entrepreneurs and a Google Cloud AI region in Johannesburg. Putting Gemini inside Chrome, the most widely used browser in all three markets, places the assistant in front of millions of everyday users rather than only developers or businesses.
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