Chrome's autofill can now pull order numbers and flight bookings from your Gmail
Gemini-powered autofill now reads Gmail for form details, for U.S. users who opted into Personal Intelligence. Google Photos is next.
The skim
- Chrome's enhanced autofill can now suggest details pulled from your Gmail, like order numbers, package tracking and flight bookings, when you fill out forms, Google said Wednesday.
- It's opt-in. It only works for Gemini in Chrome users in the U.S. who have turned on Personal Intelligence, on desktop, Android and iOS.
- Google says sensitive data stays encrypted and you can limit or turn off the feature in Chrome's settings. Google Photos is next.
What's new
Autofill has long handled the basics: your name, address and card number. Now, "powered by Gemini with Personal Intelligence," it can surface details from your inbox "right when you need them," Chrome product manager Amanda Lim wrote in Google's announcement. Android Authority's examples: the booking code you need for online check-in, or a FedEx tracking number, without a trip back to your inbox.
When a suggestion is available, it appears under a "Suggested by Gemini" section when you tap a form field, and tapping it shows where it came from, Android Authority reports. That's also where you can remove a suggestion or jump to the settings. The Verge notes it builds on last year's upgrade, which let autofill fill in things like your passport number and addresses from your Google account and Google Wallet. Google says it will "soon" extend the feature to information in images stored in your Google Photos library.
Why it matters
This is a small convenience with a big ask: letting an AI model read your email so your browser can fill in forms. TechCrunch's Sarah Perez compares it to Apple's feature that pulls verification codes from texts, and notes it gives people another reason to stay with Chrome and inside Google's AI ecosystem.
The privacy question is real. Personal Intelligence is the same feature at the center of Google's October privacy policy change, which says Google can use content from Gmail, Drive and Photos to personalize ads if you make it available to services that support ads. There's no sign that autofill itself feeds ads, and Android Authority says it "doesn't necessarily mean" it will, but Google hasn't shown how the new privacy controls work. Android Authority hadn't received the feature yet, so it couldn't test them either.
Who it affects: only people who already opted into Personal Intelligence in Gemini in Chrome in the U.S. If you never turned that on, nothing changes. If you did, check Chrome's enhanced autofill settings to see what it can access, or switch it off.
What's next
Google says the feature is beginning to roll out now, so it may take a while to reach your browser. Google Photos support comes next, with no date. For Google, the bet is that the browser that can read your inbox is the one you won't want to leave.
Sources: Google, The Verge, TechCrunch and Android Authority.
