Google is making changes to its Project Mariner team, the AI agent designed to navigate Chrome and perform tasks for users, according to WIRED. Some Google Labs staff working on the project have transitioned to other priorities in recent months, as confirmed by a Google spokesperson. Despite these shifts, the capabilities from Project Mariner will be integrated into Google’s future agent strategy, with some already incorporated into the new Gemini Agent.
These changes align with a broader industry trend as Google and other AI labs respond to the emergence of powerful agent technologies like OpenClaw, envisioned to serve as general-purpose assistants for individuals and businesses. Nvidia’s CEO has emphasized the necessity for companies to develop an ‘OpenClaw strategy’ in light of this new class of agentic computing platforms.
While browser-based AI agents initially garnered significant attention, their adoption has not yet met industry expectations. Products like Perplexity’s Comet and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agent have seen limited weekly active users, highlighting a gap between industry anticipation and user engagement.
Source: WIRED