Google infuses its Chromebook laptops with AI

In October 2023, Google launched its Chromebook Plus, a range of Chromebooks more muscular than the originals with performance gains announced to be twice as high. Google now allows them to benefit from new developments in artificial intelligence that the company is developing.

Three AI-boosted tools

Chromebook Plus will benefit from three new features: Help Me Write, AI-generated wallpapers and Magic Retouch. The first authorizes the generation of text or reformulates a sentence or paragraph. Wallpaper generation allows you to create images using instructions (prompts) and then use them as Chromebook wallpapers or as a video conferencing background in Google Meet. Finally, the Magic Retouch integrated into Google Photos selects objects and modifies them in a few very intuitive clicks.

The Gemini application is also appearing on Chromebook. The artificial intelligence model will thus be able to help with daily tasks on Chromebook. Google is also offering a one-year subscription to Google One AI Premium, which includes 2 TB of storage and access to Gemini Advanced, for the purchase of a Chromebook Plus until the end of 2024.

New features for all Chromebooks

Google likes to point out that all its Chromebooks have regular updates, without waiting for a particular deadline as Microsoft practices with Windows. In the coming days, it will be possible to configure your Chromebook using an Android smartphone, record videos broadcast on screen in GIF format, or even validate the day’s tasks directly at the bottom right of the screen. Finally, a board for the game appears, which allows (among other things) to assign commands to keys, capture games or screens.

Other features in preparation

Google wanted to highlight the features distributed soon. Thus, the Help Me Write tool will have its counterpart with Help Me Read with Gemini. Like a teacher, this functionality will allow you to explain a concept in a text on the web or a PDF.

Chromebooks will also benefit from a concentration mode with Focus to mute notifications, as well as an option to resume activities where you left off by turning off the Chromebook.

Last feature, this one dedicated to people with disabilities and from the Gameface project, it will now be possible to control the Chromebook with the face and gestures.

All of the features described will be available in the coming days. The opportunity for Google to remind you that it does not need to announce laptops with dedicated processors in order to benefit all its users from the progress of AI.