Google Lens Integrates with Chrome’s AI Side Panel
Google is testing a new AI‑powered side panel in Chrome that integrates Google Lens, blending image search, page reading, and chat into one unified spot.
A Major AI Update in Chrome Canary
Google is experimenting with a significant update to how AI functions within its Chrome browser by integrating Google Lens with the browser’s native AI side panel. This new feature is currently being tested in Chrome Canary, the experimental version of Chrome where new features are tried out before they go mainstream.
Lens Becomes Part of the AI Panel
The integration of Google Lens into Chrome’s AI side panel means that Lens is no longer just a standalone tool for image searches. Instead, it now triggers Chrome’s full AI interface right in the side panel, blending image search, page reading, and chat into one unified spot.
How It Works
When you activate Lens, it opens the AI panel on the right side of the browser, providing a chat box, suggested questions, and quick actions. This panel can also “read” the webpage you are currently on, allowing you to ask questions about the article without ever leaving the tab.
In testing, the AI handles summaries and context almost instantly, keeping everything in a single thread. It also ties into Chrome’s broader AI system, meaning your visual searches and chat sessions are finally living in the same history. This reinforces the idea that Google wants search, vision, and chat to feel like one continuous experience.
Why It Matters
This update is a clear sign that Google wants Chrome to be more than just a passive window to the web; they want it to be an active workspace. By fusing Lens with “AI Mode,” they are positioning the browser as a smart assistant that hangs out alongside whatever you are reading. It stops being a separate tool you have to switch to and starts being a helper that actually understands the context of your screen.
Benefits for Users
The benefits of this integration are less tab clutter and faster answers. Whether you are deep in a research hole, online shopping, or reading a complex article, having an AI that can see what you see – and explain it – without making you leave the page is a massive workflow upgrade. It feels like a natural step toward the “assistant‑first” browsing experience Google is pushing on Android and Search.
Current Status and Outlook
This feature is still in the “rough draft” phase in Canary, and the interface is clearly a work in progress. However, the way it links the side panel, the address bar, and your task history suggests Google is serious about building a unified AI layer across Chrome. If it survives testing, this Lens‑powered panel could fundamentally change the rhythm of how we search and read on the web.
