It's not often that a laptop gets a new button added to the keyboard. Windows laptops were treated to this rarity recently when Microsoft added the Copilot button, allowing users to quickly access the company's artificial intelligence chatbot with a button press. It's now the Chromebook's turn, but Google isn't introducing a button to simply summon its own AI assistant. Instead, "Quick Insert" offers helpful tools contextually relevant to what's on the page. This new button--not exclusive to new devices--is part of a broader update rolling out to Chromebooks and Chromebook Plus laptops this month bringing several new AI features to spruce up their capabilities.

Two weeks ago, Google announced a slew of new AI-powered features at its I/O developer conference. Microsoft followed suit last week with the introduction of its Copilot PCs that have, you guessed it, a slew of new AI-powered features. Somewhat predictably, Google is announcing its answer to the Copilot PC initiative with… the humble Chromebook. The Chromebook Plus line that it first announced last October, to be specific. When Google first announced Chromebook Plus, it focused on a combination of higher-performance hardware as well as some modest AI software features compared to what you'd get on regular Chromebooks.

Last week, Microsoft announced new Surface laptops with artificial intelligence capabilities, and several PC manufacturers like Samsung, Asus, and Acer are launching new Windows machines to take advantage of the AI bump. Early in May, Google showed off its latest AI capabilities at the company's developer conference. Many of these are coming to Android phones soon, and you can expect to hear the word "AI" thrown around for iOS and iPadOS at Apple's own developer conference next month. Naturally, all this activity means that Chromebooks are due for their AI upgrade. Google is bringing Gemini, its artificial intelligence chatbot, to Chromebook Plus laptops new and old.

Rugged, reliable, and largely virus-free, these machines are designed with everyday people in mind. While Chromebooks have a lot to offer to the day-to-day user, traditionally speaking, they're not the most powerful laptops around… until now. Today, Google officially announced the release of Chromebook Plus laptops, a slew of Chromebooks that promise better performance, better displays and webcams, and new apps and AI capabilities. New features include enhanced editing in Google Photos, which allows you to remove unwanted bits with the Magic Eraser. Looking to pick up a new Chromebook?