Google’s recent integration of Gemini into its Chrome AI browser has triggered a wave of privacy concerns after a new study by cybersecurity firm Surfshark revealed that the browser collects more personal data than any of its AI-powered competitors.
According to the findings, Gemini in Chrome gathers a wide range of sensitive details, including users’ names, email and physical addresses, browsing history, payment information, and even deeply private categories such as sexual orientation, disability status, and racial or ethnic background. Unlike other browsers, Chrome links this information directly to individuals, allowing the creation of highly specific user profiles.
Karolis Kaciulis, Leading System Engineer at Surfshark, issued a stark warning about the risks of this level of data collection. “An agentic browser needs to see and monitor everything we do online. Your name and physical address, emails, text messages, the fact that you are stalking your ex — this is just a small part of what an agentic browser knows about you. No room for privacy left,” he said.
Kaciulis cautioned that while AI browsers can make life easier by handling routine tasks like booking appointments or ordering groceries, they also open the door to unprecedented surveillance. “Users’ privacy and personal information are becoming a cheap commodity,” he added, raising concerns about the long-term consequences of feeding such systems with intimate personal data for years to come.
The research highlights a broader danger in the rapid rise of so-called “agentic browsers” that not only see but also act on behalf of users online. Earlier this year, Perplexity’s Comet AI browser was found to contain a major security flaw that exposed highly sensitive details such as bank account credentials, proving how vulnerable this new technology can be when exploited by hackers.
Read also:
- Traditional SEO Dying as AI Chatbots Take Over: Businesses rush to master next frontier of online discovery
- OpenAI to reach 700m users this week
- Samsung takes bold step to crush rivals with sleeker foldable phones, advanced AI features
The potential fallout is immense. With companies prioritizing profit and personalization, privacy advocates warn that society could be sleepwalking into a new era of digital surveillance where individuals have little control over their data.
Kaciulis posed a haunting question: “Do companies see users’ privacy and security as their main focus area? Otherwise, what consequences are we, as users, going to face after one, five, or ten years of feeding agentic browsers with our most private and sensitive information?”
As the debate intensifies, experts recommend limiting the tasks given to AI-powered browsers, relying on traditional privacy-focused browsers for sensitive activities such as online banking and email, and regularly reviewing privacy settings. Still, the Surfshark study shows that the trade-off between convenience and security may be far more dangerous than most users realize.
With Google’s Gemini now at the center of global conversations on surveillance and data collection, the big question remains: is the future of browsing a helpful digital assistant or the gateway to a world without privacy?
