Podcast Summary:
All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio) – Hands-On Windows 161: "Google Wants To Be Your Co-Pilot"
Host: Paul Thurrott
Date: October 9, 2025
Overview
In this episode, Paul Thurrott explores Google's deepening integration of AI—specifically the Gemini model—into the Windows ecosystem. With Microsoft's Copilot, Apple's Apple Intelligence, and Google's Gemini now competing, Paul analyzes Google's latest incursions on Windows. He details the features of the new Google app for Windows and enhanced Gemini features in Chrome, highlighting how Google is positioning itself as a direct competitor to Microsoft Copilot. The episode sets the context for an intensifying AI arms race on desktops and across operating systems.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Current State of AI Assistants ([02:22]–[03:30])
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Competition Landscape:
Paul summarizes the expanding competition among tech giants in the AI assistant space:- Microsoft: Copilot integrated into Windows 11, mobile, Microsoft 365, and more.
- Apple: Apple Intelligence is in early phases but progressing.
- Google: Gemini, available across Android, Chrome OS, and now Windows.
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Google's Advantage:
With the most used browser (Chrome) and search engine, Google’s ecosystem provides a robust platform to distribute and ground AI assistants."Google is interesting because...they make the world's most popular web browser by far. They also make the world's most popular search engine by far. These are great ways to distribute and/or provide grounding for AI."
— Paul Thurrott [03:10]
2. Google’s New Windows App—A "Spotlight" for Windows ([03:30]–[06:00])
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Introducing the Google App for Windows:
- Available via labs.google.com; may be a limited-time release.
- Overlay Search Bar: Stays atop desktop (inspired by Mac’s Spotlight, PowerToys Run, and the Copilot command palette).
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Default is Alt+Space, but user-adjustable.
- Core Features:
- Google Search access from desktop.
- Local file search with indexing and possible semantic search.
- Google Drive integration for cloud file search.
- Visual search via a Google Lens-style icon on the desktop—akin to Copilot Vision.
"What this does is provide this search bar on Windows, right over everything else you're doing...You can search your files locally...search your Google Drive up in the cloud...see what's on your desktop using this Google Lens icon."
— Paul Thurrott [04:15] -
Potential:
- Functions as an in-place Copilot replacement.
- Visually reminiscent of search on Android devices—blurring lines between desktop and mobile UI.
"This is kind of an in-place replacement, if you will, for Copilot. Potentially interesting."
— Paul Thurrott [05:10]
3. Gemini in Chrome: From Subscription Perk to Mainstream Tool ([06:00]–[09:00])
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Gemini Chat Button in Chrome:
- Previously restricted to paid Google AI Pro subscribers; now broadly available.
- Free vs. Paid: Free tier generous, with limits outlined in Google’s help docs.
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Interactions:
- Click Gemini icon for a chat overlay (not limited to a fixed sidebar; can be moved).
- Capable of summarizing web pages and answering user queries directly from the Chrome interface, not necessarily tied to any single tab.
- Can run even if Chrome window is closed—persistence beyond browser sessions.
"The nice thing about this one though is you can move it around and that's something you can't actually do yet with Edge and their little Copilot, you know, quick...interface here."
— Paul Thurrott [07:50]"You can bring this up at any time. You don't have to be looking at a web page...if you just want to chat with Gemini...you can just bring this thing up at any time."
— Paul Thurrott [08:10]
4. Upcoming Gemini & Chrome Features ([09:00]–[13:30])
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Expansion & Limitations:
- Currently US/Canada in English, consumer accounts only—coming to Workspace (business) users soon.
- Will support multi-tab tasks: compare, summarize, research across tabs.
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Omnibox Integration:
- Gemini will provide in-line AI results as you type into the Chrome address bar (Omnibox).
- Suggested Queries: As you type, Chrome offers AI-powered suggestions and, upon selection, slides out an answer in a sidebar.
"When you click here...if you just type, type a question here, it will assume you are asking it about this thing, but it also gives you some suggestions."
— Paul Thurrott [10:15] -
Agentic (Autonomous) Capabilities Coming Soon:
- Gemini will access context (emails, calendar, browsing) to perform real-world actions (e.g., booking appointments, ordering groceries).
"It's going to understand because you're a Google customer and it has your, you know, your calendar information, Gmail... Did you want to create a or make a reservation for that place, that kind of thing."
— Paul Thurrott [11:05] -
AI Mode in Search:
- Gemini-powered AI mode will analyze and summarize web pages, returning deeper results directly in the Omnibox.
- Shows sources for answers (e.g., Stack Overflow for coding questions).
"When you go into AI mode, this is a different style of search. It's using that AI backend. It's doing kind of a more complex, deeper analysis. It's showing you the sites that it got this information from..."
— Paul Thurrott [12:06] -
Security Enhancements:
- Gemini Nano runs locally for "safe browsing" within Chrome.
- Scam notifications and download blocks to protect users from malicious sites and downloads.
"If you are visiting a website today and it's a scammy thing...that will actually stop that...If you do try to download it, it will prevent you from doing that."
— Paul Thurrott [13:00]
5. Why This Matters ([13:30]–[14:20])
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The AI arms race is heating up, with Google integrating Gemini into Chrome (the world’s most popular browser) and Windows.
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The accessibility and ubiquity of these tools mean Google's AI presence on desktops could soon rival or surpass Microsoft's Copilot.
"Putting this in Chrome is actually a really big deal, I think, because it's just, you know, 65, 70% of the web...And this is what most people use."
— Paul Thurrott [13:30]
Notable Quotes & Moments
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"Google is trying to out Copilot Copilot in Windows."
— Paul Thurrott [02:02] -
On the growing AI integration arms race:
"They're putting it in everything Apple is doing. Apple Intelligence... Google is doing Gemini... throughout their ecosystem."
— Paul Thurrott [02:36] -
On the practical impact for average users:
"This also looks like that search box you see like on a Pixel or an Android phone. So this is very interesting to me."
— Paul Thurrott [05:25] -
On the broader implications:
"Google building this stuff in was inevitable but now it's kind of finally happening."
— Paul Thurrott [10:45]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 02:22 – AI competition landscape; Google's strategic positioning.
- 03:30 – Introduction to Google's new Windows app (desktop search overlay).
- 06:00 – Gemini integration into Chrome browser; history and current access.
- 09:00 – Expansion plans for Gemini in Chrome and Workspace integration.
- 10:15 – Hands-on with Omnibox AI features and sidebar responses.
- 11:05 – Preview of future autonomous (agentic) Gemini features.
- 13:00 – Gemini-powered phishing and scam protections.
- 13:30 – Why integrating Gemini in Chrome is a major development.
Episode Tone & Flow
Paul maintains a conversational, slightly irreverent tone (e.g., "Apple Intelligence, you know, not great, but they're getting there. Whatever.") while providing a hands-on, practical analysis of new technology as it emerges. He is excited about the features and eager to share new findings, even when some tools are so new he hasn't had time for deep testing.
Conclusion
Paul Thurrott provided an in-depth look at Google's accelerating effort to position Gemini's AI as a full-featured, cross-platform rival to Microsoft Copilot. Google’s seamless integration with Windows and Chrome offers users a compelling alternative, and signals a new phase in the competition for AI dominance on the desktop. The episode promises further deep-dives in the future as these tools evolve and features roll out to a wider audience.