Google Chrome is silently installing a 4 GB AI model called Gemini Nano on users' devices without consent. The file appears in an OptGuideOnDeviceModel directory with no notification or opt-out option. If users delete it, Chrome automatically re-downloads the model during idle periods, treating user hardware as delivery targets without permission.

At Chrome's scale, the environmental impact reaches staggering levels—between six thousand and sixty thousand tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions for one model distribution. This unilateral action potentially violates multiple privacy regulations including the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR principles of lawfulness, fairness, and transparency.

The behavior was verified through macOS filesystem event logs showing Chrome installing the model in just 14 minutes with no human interaction. Google bundles this 4 GB download alongside security updates as if they were equivalent, reaching across vendor trust boundaries to deliver AI features users never requested and cannot easily disable.