Google Unveils Project Mariner: AI Agents To Use the Web For You 49
Google today unveiled Project Mariner, its first AI agent capable of autonomously navigating web browsers, operating through a Chrome extension that controls cursor movements and form-filling to replicate human interactions online.
The Gemini-powered prototype, developed by Google's DeepMind division, is initially available to a select group of testers. During demos, the agent performed tasks like creating shopping carts on grocery websites, though with noticeable five-second delays between actions. The system captures browser screenshots and processes them through Gemini in the cloud to generate navigation commands.
It operates only in Chrome's active tab, requiring users to observe its actions rather than running in the background. Project Mariner achieved an 83.5% success rate on the WebVoyager benchmark for web-based tasks. The agent has built-in limitations, including inability to complete purchases, accept cookies, or agree to terms of service. Google Labs Director Jaclyn Konzelmann described the project as a "fundamentally new UX paradigm shift" that could transform how users interact with websites. The company said it is engaging with web ecosystem stakeholders as development continues.
The Gemini-powered prototype, developed by Google's DeepMind division, is initially available to a select group of testers. During demos, the agent performed tasks like creating shopping carts on grocery websites, though with noticeable five-second delays between actions. The system captures browser screenshots and processes them through Gemini in the cloud to generate navigation commands.
It operates only in Chrome's active tab, requiring users to observe its actions rather than running in the background. Project Mariner achieved an 83.5% success rate on the WebVoyager benchmark for web-based tasks. The agent has built-in limitations, including inability to complete purchases, accept cookies, or agree to terms of service. Google Labs Director Jaclyn Konzelmann described the project as a "fundamentally new UX paradigm shift" that could transform how users interact with websites. The company said it is engaging with web ecosystem stakeholders as development continues.
There's no way I'm going to use this... (Score:3)
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So, typing in search terms will become a bit like prompt engineering for a LLM. It's not exactly a stretch. Might even help the search results be "less horrid."
Re: There's no way I'm going to use this... (Score:2)
Already has been like that really, except with less natural language.
And now since Google has been putting AI at the answers of search results but only sometimes, there is the added element of trying to get those or not.
Re:There's no way I'm going to use this... (Score:4, Funny)
I'll use it: I'll unleash it on Google's own fucking reCAPTCHAs so it solves them for me.
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The dream is nearly realized. (Score:4, Interesting)
You gotta know Google's advertising business is salivating at the prospect of having web browsers running via autonomous agents, without human interaction, without the need for human observation. If they can make it look like people are hitting the web in droves, they can drive those advertising dollars into their coffers without even needing to engage an audience. The dream is nearly realized. AI has found its purpose, to create clicks for the mothership without humans involved. A self-fulfilling profit center, with zero need to provide any service for that profit. Capitalism has reached its end-point. Self-fulfilling profit for the owners! HOLY JEEBUS IN SCROOGE MCDUCK'S VAULT! IT'S A MIRACLE!
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Either way you are told you will sit in the corner and wait for your thin gruel. With Algo
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Same announcement, different Big Scary Monopolistic Company. Yesterday we were yelling about Microsoft saying the same thing: browers "are broken" and will be taken away, but DON'T WORRY... our agent will get between you and everything you want, which is a MUCH BETTER way to do things. Sure. Much better for Microsoft, or Google, and Apple when they surely announce the same thing, but say that its for your "protection". Either way you are told you will sit in the corner and wait for your thin gruel. With Algorithmic Pricing, the most money will be extracted from you. Coming soon: "comfortable" pens to live in. Just press this button and a pellet of food will drop into your dish. Seriously, which science fiction movie does this most closely resemble? The Matrix?
It's a little different from the Matrix. In the Matrix, at least humans were usable as a power source. Though how that worked is beyond science to explain. I liked Dan Simmons' take on the machines better. That there was tremendous power in the moment of human death, which is actually scientifically verifiable. There's a MASSIVE number of calories poured into death when the body has time to shut down before it's destroyed. So all the "hook yourself to the web" shit was built in a way where the machines coul
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Except that then advertisers will look for other places to advertise on if the ads are not actually seen.
A more likely scenario is :
Step 1: Google will do the stuff automatically and then display the result along with ads.
Step 2: Recognise when it is their AI agent in ads and no give any money to sites for AI agent visits as they are not "real views", thus keeping all the money for the ads.
Step 3: The ad supported part of the web dies with much lower income.
Is it just me....? (Score:4, Interesting)
Frankly, I kinda like to do my own shopping.
When it is a special, fun purchase, half the fun to me is the build up, saving, researching, etc....and then pulling the trigger to get my new toy.
I'd not want AI or auto interjection into that process.
And for more mundane things....well, I like to still research, find my best deal....some online and if in meatspace with brick and mortar stores, that's to get a more hands on touchy-feely experience.
Hell, I rarely use grocery shopping services...I value my food, and I don't trust anyone else to look through the produce and meat...and use good judgment to get the best looking and freshest available of the choices....rather than try to have them sell the oldest first.
I dunno....I can see uses for AI...but I don't want it in my shopping process that I can see presently....nor do I want to talk to it vocally.
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Same here. In particular, I mostly do web-browsing because all the things I find I did not search for.
Does sound worse than useless if you ask me.
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They're trying to trick you into providing your credit card or bank info to the AI.
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Is it just me...or is something like this, on first glance...completely useless? Frankly, I kinda like to do my own shopping.
Just tell it, "Get the amazon search results for yellow socks and skip the sponsored results." Same result, but...better.
How can I put this most succinctly? (Score:2)
How to go bankrupt in one easy step (Score:2)
So, it's *also* going to store your credit card/bank account number, right, to make things "easier" for you?
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You can already do that using Google Pay.
Have the computer use the computer for me (Score:3)
Re: Have the computer use the computer for me (Score:2)
Another macro program? (Score:2)
This almost seems like a higher level of a macro program, something that can automatically fill out forms or whatnot. Interesting, and might be useful for automating filling out boneheaded TPM reports, but for most things, not really that usable.
Not sure where this would work. The fact that it has to be in the foreground makes it less usable, although I'd just throw it in a VM so it thinks it is in the foreground while I do other things.
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This almost seems like a higher level of a macro program, something that can automatically fill out forms or whatnot. Interesting, and might be useful for automating filling out boneheaded TPM reports, but for most things, not really that usable.
Not sure where this would work. The fact that it has to be in the foreground makes it less usable, although I'd just throw it in a VM so it thinks it is in the foreground while I do other things.
If it is sufficiently capable, it might be the answer to my "I need an [x] product that has the features [a, b, c] and does not have [z]" problem, as well as my "Find me the lowest price for [x] product that are expected to be delivered no later than [date] and/or is actually in stock", both of which seem to be all but impossible for current product search systems.
That said, I have no idea if it is capable of doing that.
So it's a scraper (Score:3)
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I don't like AI, but I see nothing unethical about allowing AI to screw with advertisers.
accuracy (Score:1)
I was looking for Wite-Out not White Power. Just what ends up in my search history with this thing? What sites will someone claim I've visited.
The goal is to sell your agent's browsing time. (Score:2)
I.e. If you don't pay Google handsomely, you'll get absolutely NO traffic from those using this "convenience." I hear it's also great for preventing the spread of "misinformation" amongst the masses.....
Curated Web Expereince (Score:3)
Now Google can provide a curated web experience (based on their advertising $). That way you can only be exposed to what they deem worthy of your attention span based on your previous browsing habits. This new AI feature will show you leashes and canes so you can buy to replenish your stock (based on your browsing history the other night).
Good idea, in theory, but (Score:2)
I don't need an AI assistant to help me find common stuff, I need an AI assistant to help me find really obscure industrial stuff and get accurate technical details about it. A typical query would be something like, I'm looking for a ceramic substrate for borosilicate glasswork that can tolerate thermal shock and not stick to hot glass
We need AI to use this AI to use the web for us. (Score:2)
The Adolescence (Score:2)
Of P1
Profit! (Score:2)
Built-in limitations (Score:2)
The agent has built-in limitations, including inability to complete purchases, accept cookies, or agree to terms of service
Hence it cannot even use Google to search the web.
What could every go wrong? (Score:2)
So it takes screenshots and has passwords to your bank account and everything else but is only 83% accurate. And sends it to Google. And makes purchases. That you pay for later. I'm just going to nope out of that timeline, kthx.
There goes the rest of the Environment. (Score:2)
Am I the only one excited for this? (Score:2)
Google unveils project V'Ger (Score:2)
"... a mysterious and powerful alien cloud known as V'Ger approaches Earth, destroying everything in its path" -- Wikipedia, Star Trek: the Motion Picture
Never trust The Cloud.
One more piece of the Dead Internet comes to be (Score:2)
.. really at some point will people even be a significant minority of those using the internet, or is it just going to be bots trying to create fake hype/clicks/follower counts and steal ad revenue intended to reach real peoples' eyeballs?