Is "Chrome Killer" Real? Google's Experimental AI Browser "Disco" and the Impact of GenTabs

In December 2025, Google unveiled a new browser experience called "Disco" and its core feature "GenTabs" on its experimental platform "Google Labs." While headlines often sensationalize it as a "Chrome killer," Google's explanation is quite the opposite, stating that it's not meant to "replace Chrome" but rather to experiment with the "future of browsing."NDTV Profit

First, it's important to note that while NDTV Profit refers to it as "Search Labs," the official announcement introduces it as "Google Labs (Labs)," with the waitlist registration being conducted through the Labs page. Despite the different names, the commonality is that it is distributed as an "experiment" rather than a "public product."NDTV Profit

The key point is the attempt to transform browsers from merely "searching and opening links" into a "place to create tools for achieving goals." GenTabs uses the tabs you currently have open (plus conversation context) to instantly generate "mini web apps" for travel planning, meal preparation, learning, comparison, and more.labs.google

What Was Announced? — Disco and GenTabs in a Nutshell

• Disco: An "experimental browser" on Google Labs. The tagline is "Take the web for a fresh spin." It is accessed via a waitlist (early access).labs.google

• GenTabs: The first highlight feature of Disco. It automatically generates custom interactive apps (tabs) using the open tabs as "material."labs.google

Examples listed on the official page include "exploring the solar system," "planning a trip," "creating a menu," and "planning a garden." The traditional "research" is reimagined as screens tailored to specific purposes from the start.labs.google

Turning "Tab Hell" into Apps — A More Detailed Look at GenTabs

The official Google blog prefaces by stating, "Online tasks have become complex, leading to the frustration of opening numerous tabs for research," positioning Disco/GenTabs as an "experiment to rethink 'browsing and building' for the modern web."blog.google

The core mechanism consists of the following three points:

1. Reading Context
   GenTabs understands the user's objectives from "open tabs and chat history" and generates interactive web apps to complete tasks.blog.google

2. No-Code, Natural Language Adjustment
   The official statement is, "You don't need to write a single line of code. Explain the tools you need and adjust them in natural language." In other words, the act of "creating" a UI is leaning towards prompts and conversation.blog.google

3. Linking to the Web = Grounding
   Google explicitly states, "Generated elements must always be linked to the web and reference the original source." This reflects on the AI-generated experiences that are "plausible but lack clear grounding."blog.google
   
   

Demo Experience: Research → Organize → Decide, All on One Screen

In a demo introduced by The Verge, creating a "Project" from Disco's left sidebar and entering "I want to plan a trip to Japan" in the chat box opened related tabs and generated an interactive screen (GenTab) like an itinerary planner. The more new tabs (hotels, tourist spots, transportation, etc.) the user opened, the more GenTab incorporated that information and updated its content.The Verge

Another example mentioned by NDTV Profit (a trip to Burlington) also created a planner screen summarizing weather, activities, restaurants, and sightseeing, indicating a consistent direction in its applications.NDTV Profit

According to the Google blog, early testers have already created "purpose-specific apps" like "a week's meal plan," "a trip to Japan to see cherry blossoms," and "teaching planets to elementary school students."blog.google

Is "Chrome Killer" a Misunderstanding? — Google's Emphasis on "Not a Replacement"

NDTV Profit's article states "Not A Chrome Killer," conveying that Disco is not created as a replacement for Chrome but is an experiment that started from an internal hackathon.NDTV Profit

In fact, Parisa Tabriz, who leads the Chrome team, states, "We don't consider Disco to be a general-purpose browser," explaining that the goal is to create a personalized app experience that helps with what you need from tabs.The Verge

Furthermore, 9to5Google also notes that Disco is based on Chromium, just like Chrome. This means that although it appears different, the foundation is similar. The official blog also expresses the possibility that successful features might be reintroduced into Chrome, stating, "Promising ideas born from Disco may enter larger Google products in the future."9to5Google

Convenient Yet Worrisome: Four Key Points to Note

1) From "Search" to "Build": The Browser as a UI Builder

In the travel example, weather, congestion, transportation, accommodation, maps, and schedules—these were traditionally integrated by navigating between different sites and tabs. GenTabs brings this integration forward as a "generated UI."NDTV Profit

2) Design of "Grounding": An AI Browser That Encourages Opening Links

What's interesting about Disco is that it doesn't just end with the AI providing answers; it makes the act of opening tabs an "input to increase accuracy." The Verge reports that the team adjusted the design to encourage users to open the web.The Verge

3) Persistence and Sharing: Will GenTab Become a "Creation" or a "Disposable Tool"?

The question posed by The Verge is fundamental. Is GenTab a "shareable web app" with a URL, or a "momentary tool" that disappears once closed? Google is still exploring this in their experiments.The Verge

4) Privacy and Context: The Weight of AI Reading Open Tabs

The more powerful GenTabs becomes, the more it requires the premise that "open tabs (plus conversation history)" are handed over to AI. As a trade-off for convenience, a design that users can agree on regarding "what information is read" and "how much is stored" is necessary.blog.google

How Does Disco Differ in the AI Browser Wars?

In the past year, "AI-powered browsers" have rapidly increased. Most have moved towards "adding AI on top of existing browsing," such as integrating chat into the browser, enhancing page summaries, or having agents fill out forms.

Disco is a bit different. The Verge points out that "unlike many AI browsers, Disco actually wants you to open and view sites," explaining that opening tabs becomes the "grounding" for GenTabs.The Verge

In other words, Disco is betting on a model that "doesn't replace the web" but "assembles a 'workspace for yourself' using the web as material."

This difference is significant because it directly relates to how AI-generated UIs coexist with the "external web." If AI-generated answers consume everything, traffic to sites decreases, and the web economy shrinks. Conversely, if opening tabs, linking to original sources, and users adding information improve the experience, at least the act of "reading the web" is not entirely abandoned.blog.google

What Specific Uses Are Possible? — Beyond "Purpose-Specific Templates"

According to the official explanation, GenTabs may "suggest generated apps that users haven't thought of, depending on the task." This means it could anticipate "what you want to do" indicated by the current set of tabs, not just obvious uses like travel, learning, or meal planning.blog.google

The demo examples from The Verge are not limited to travel or learning. They included tasks like creating a model of a human foot or compiling moving estimates and comparison charts, summarizing "researching + calculating + comparing" tasks into one project.The Verge##HTML