Soon You Won't Have to Do Anything At All 👍
Throughout history, people have worried that new technology would eventually make us dumber. Socrates feared the written word would make us forgetful, some thought calculators would kill our ability to do math, and others believed the internet would destroy our cognitive abilities. Today, in 2026, we are facing a new kind of threat that feels much broader in scope: agentic AI.
Chrome Auto Browse: Beyond Simple Autofill
We have lived with Chrome autofill for years, and most people find it incredibly helpful for tasks like entering addresses or credit card numbers. Google is now pushing beyond those simple tasks by integrating Gemini into the Chrome browser with a feature called "auto browse".
This is not just a sidebar that summarizes articles. This feature allows Gemini to actually navigate websites, type into search bars, and scroll through pages to complete complex travel logistics or professional workflows on your behalf. It is essentially taking control of your browser while you sit back and watch.
One interesting catch is that you cannot just walk away entirely. Auto browse is designed to pause and ask for confirmation before making a purchase or posting to social media. It feels a bit like a self driving car where you are still responsible for supervising the machine to make sure it does not go off the rails.
Gemini is Taking Over Your Apps
The integration is not stopping at the desktop browser, as reports from Android Authority show that Gemini is getting closer to controlling other apps on your phone through screen automation. This builds on the "Project Astra" technology shown at Google I/O 2025, which demonstrated Gemini's ability to see, scroll, and tap on your device. Gemini can now help with specific tasks like placing orders or booking rides on apps like Uber or Lyft. However, Google explicitly states that Gemini can make mistakes, so you are responsible for its actions and must supervise it closely. Furthermore, if you have your activity settings turned on, screenshots of Gemini interacting with your apps may be reviewed by human trainers to improve the service, so you should avoid entering sensitive information like payment details during these automated sessions.
On one hand, this could be a game changer for accessibility, as being able to use your voice to tell your phone to handle a series of complex tasks is a huge win for people with disabilities. Even for the rest of us, there is a clear appeal in automating those mundane, annoying chores, such as telling Gemini to reorder dog food from Amazon so you do not have to do it manually. The bigger question is where we finally draw the line, because if we start letting the computer handle our research, our shopping, and our digital interactions, we might just be letting it live our lives for us. It is a strange future to imagine, and it is easy to start catastrophizing about what happens when we stop doing things for ourselves. Whether this ends up being a massive productivity boost or a cognitive crutch remains to be seen.