How to block Chrome, Edge from loading AI into the machine 🚨

After it was previously reported that Google Chrome had automatically downloaded a large AI model down the user machine, with the file being about 4GB in size and related to Gemini Nano, Google's on-device AI model designed to be processed directly on the user's device without sending everything up to be processed on the server.

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The idea of AI on-device is to help some features run faster, reduce latency, and increase privacy. Some data can be processed locally, such as writing, summarizing content, or other AI features within the browser. But this does not mean that every time a user runs Gemini or presses Ask Gemini, they will always use Gemini Nano locally, because some commands or features may still have to send requests to process on the cloud.

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The problem is that a number of users are unhappy that Chrome downloaded a large model on its own without explicit notice or permission. And of course, in the corporate corner, this is even bigger because computer machines in companies often have clear control policies on what can be installed or downloaded.

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Of course, Google and Microsoft already have a channel for admins to control this through a policy called GenAILocalFoundationalModelSettings, an official policy contained in Microsoft Edge and Chrome Enterprise documents, not a strange Registry that users devise themselves.

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Simply put, Microsoft and Google do not release end-to-end one-click Registry files for users to download, but open a policy document for an admin or user who knows how to set up a custom implementation system through Group Policy, Enterprise Device Management Tools, or Windows Registry.

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On Windows, this setting can be done through Registry. Users or admins can be configured separately between Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome as follows:

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Microsoft Edge

- Open Registry Editor

- Go to HKEY _ LOCAL _ MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Policies\ Microsoft\ Edge

- If there is no Edge folder, create it before under Microsoft.

- Right click in the right window and create DWORD (32-bit) Value

- Named GenAILocalFoundationalModelSettings

- Double-click this new value and put the value data as 1.

- But if you already have it, edit the value box from 0 to 1 instead.

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For Google Chrome

- Open Registry Editor

- Go to HKEY _ LOCAL _ MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Policies\ Google\ Chrome

- If there is no Google or Chrome folder, create it first.

- Right click in the right window and create DWORD (32-bit) Value

- Named GenAILocalFoundationalModelSettings

- Double-click this new value and put the value data as 1.

- But if you already have it, edit the value box from 0 to 1 instead.

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This value 1 means Disallowed or disallowed to download and use the AI model locally. Value 0 means Allowed or allowed to download and use it normally. Before editing the Registry, it is recommended to back up or set Restore Point first. If corrected, it may cause some systems or programs to malfunction.

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Source: Neowin

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