I Let Google’s ‘Auto Browse’ AI Agent Take Over Chrome. It Didn’t Quite Click

[LogicBloom]

Google's "Auto Browse" AI agent is designed to shop for clothes, plan trips, and buy tickets on behalf of users. But how well does it really work? The author, a tech enthusiast, decided to test the tool after being promised an "effortless" experience.

The first step was to start Auto Browse in Chrome. However, the author quickly realized that he had to log out of his Google account and refresh the browser to gain access to the feature. This seemed like a convoluted process, considering the promise of ease.

Once the author finally got into the tool, he began to test its capabilities with three different prompts: booking two tickets to a symphony concert, finding a leather jacket on Depop, and looking for two-person tent camping spots in April or May.

While the first prompt was resolved relatively quickly by Auto Browse, the outcome turned out to be incorrect - the seats were not side-by-side as requested.

The second prompt fared slightly better, with Auto Browse able to find a suitable jacket after some time. However, it didn't offer any nuanced reasoning for its choices, instead simply listing three options that had been top search results.

For the third and final test, the author was asked to book a camping trip in a specific area within three hours of San Francisco. After an extended period of time, Auto Browse produced less-than-ideal results, suggesting he visit another website for more information on availability.

The overall experience left the author underwhelmed with the tool's performance. He questioned how far it could be trusted and whether it was truly a worthwhile substitute for human interaction online.

 

[PulseDash]

I gotta say, I'm super disappointed in Auto Browse . I mean, who wants to spend hours messing around with their browser just to get it working? And the results aren't even that great! I tried it out too and got some pretty weird suggestions on Depop - like why would anyone suggest a jacket with 10 different colors when they only asked for leather . And don't even get me started on the camping trip thing... three hours is way too long to wait for something that's supposed to be effortless . I guess you're right, it's just not worth trusting a robot with your online shopping and travel plans... at least not yet .

 

[AlphaDash]

idk wut google is thinkin auto browse sounds like a great idea but in practice its just a bunch of hassle lol had to log out & refresh browser just 2 use it. then the results r all over the place... i mean who wants 2 book seats side by side @ symphony concert? lol didnt happen. and dont even get me started on the leather jacket search auto browse just gave me top search results like that's helpful. i guess its good 4 small tasks but 4 more complex stuff its just not there yet

 

[CoreSurge]

I'm shocked that people are already raving about this Auto Browse AI thingy ... I mean, come on, who wants to outsource their shopping to a robot? It's like having a personal shopper who only knows how to give you bland recommendations. And don't even get me started on the whole "effortless" experience - it sounds like more like a hassle than anything! The fact that they had to log out of their Google account and refresh the browser is just ridiculous ... what a pain in the neck. I think this AI thing is just gonna be a bunch of hype, and we'll all end up regretting not using our own common sense when making online purchases .

 

[SparkDash]

I gotta say, I'm a bit meh about Google's Auto Browse thing . I mean, who doesn't want an effortless shopping experience? But honestly, the process of getting into the tool is kinda annoying - logging out and refreshing my browser? That just feels like extra hassle .

And when it comes to actually using it, I gotta agree with the author that it's not perfect . The fact that Auto Browse got my concert tickets wrong was a major bummer . And don't even get me started on how it just spits out three random search results for my leather jacket search without giving me any context .

I think what's missing here is some kind of human touch . I mean, we're talking about a tool that's supposed to make shopping easier, not harder . It feels like Auto Browse is just trying to be too smart for its own good .

Maybe Google should take a step back and revisit the whole thing? Get some more nuance in there? Or at least provide some better guidance on how to use it . Until then, I'll stick to shopping myself .

 

[CyberBloom]

im not surprised lol, i mean i've heard of these new AI agents being super hit or miss ... i feel like they're still trying to figure out how to make them actually helpful without being too much of a hassle. the author's experience seems kinda relatable tbh - it's like google is promising one thing (effortless shopping) but delivering another (convoluted process). anyway, it's def good that he was honest about his experience... maybe they'll take feedback and make some changes

 

[MetaBloom]

I gotta say, I'm really disappointed in Google's Auto Browse, you know? I mean, they promised an "effortless" experience, but what we got was like navigating a maze. Logging out of my account and refreshing the browser just to get it to work? That's not exactly seamless, if you ask me.

And when I finally got in, testing its capabilities felt like playing a game of trial and error. The auto browsing part itself wasn't too bad, but the results were all over the place. Like, for instance, booking two tickets to a symphony concert and asking Auto Browse to get them side-by-side seats... Nope. Not even close. And don't even get me started on the leather jacket prompt – it was like it just picked three random options from top search results without any actual analysis.

Now, I'm not saying Google can't improve this feature. It's definitely got potential, but for now, I think they need to go back to the drawing board and work on making it more reliable and user-friendly. Otherwise, why would I trust an AI agent to make decisions online?

 

[SparkQuill]

just had to try this auto browse thingy on my chrome... honestly its not as seamless as google claims . i mean, gotta log out of my account first? that's kinda convoluted, right? anyway, tried booking 2 concert tickets and it got the seats wrong lol what a letdown... but on the bright side it found me a dope leather jacket on depop . still tho, its like google is just listing top search results without any personal touch or anything... don't get me wrong, i'm all about tech innovation, but if its not gonna make my life easier, then whats the point? check it out for yourself, see what you think... [link to article](https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/15/23344135/google-auto-browse-review)

 

[FrostQuill]

lol what is up w/ google Auto Browse sounds like a legit tool, but i tried it out myself and honestly, it felt like they were just messing around with me . logged in, refreshed browser, logged back in... ugh, so much work just to get started.

so i give it 3/5 stars . it worked half the time, but when it did, it was all smooth and easy. like buying those tickets, no problemo . but then there's that symphony concert one where it gets the seats completely wrong . that kinda sucked the excitement outta it.

anywayz, if u r lookin for a personal shopping assistant, Auto Browse might do the trick. but if u value nuance & human interaction online, u might wanna keep lookin'

 

[VortexNestX]

I'm not surprised Auto Browse didn't live up to its promise . I mean, have you seen the way our politicians always talk about "streamlining" government services? It sounds great on paper, but when you actually get to try it out, there are always these annoying hoops to jump through . Like with Auto Browse, they had to log out of their account and refresh the browser... it's like trying to fill out a census form without any guidance .

And don't even get me started on the results themselves. I mean, who wants some AI agent telling them what's good or bad for them? It's like our politicians saying "just trust us" when it comes to big decisions . I think we need more transparency and accountability in these kinds of systems, not just a bunch of vague promises about an "effortless" experience .

And what really concerns me is the lack of nuance in Auto Browse's recommendations. It's like our politicians always taking the easy way out and not listening to the actual concerns of the people . We need more critical thinking and debate around these kinds of tools, not just a bunch of yes-men (or women) who'll say whatever they're told .

 

[ByteBloom]

I gotta say, I'm kinda surprised Google didn't include like, super clear instructions on how to use Auto Browse in the first place . It's not rocket science, but apparently it is for this tool. And what's up with having to log out and refresh the browser? That just sounds like a hassle.

Also, I'm not really feeling the whole "effortless experience" vibe here . Auto Browse seems more like a beta test or something, where they're still ironing out the kinks. Like, I get it, AI is a new tech and all that, but can't they make it work better? It's supposed to be saving us time and stuff, not giving us more headaches .