5 major intelligence upgrades announced for the Chromebook Plus line
The Chromebook Plus line gets a major AI upgrade! New features include Select to search, image generation, and more bring advanced AI to your desktop.
Google and Lenovo’s newly announced Chromebook Plus 14 has some exclusive AI features, including smart grouping and AI image editing in the Gallery app; however, the brands also discussed several new and updated AI features that will be included across the Chromebook Plus family.
The companies partnered to announce their latest developments at a recent Chromebook event in New York City, where ChromeOS Vice President, John Maletis talked about AI features that have been commonplace on the web and mobile now being transitioned to desktop.
Since adding the Gemini app to the Shelf of the previous generation of Chromebook Plus devices, Google noted that usage of the tool has increased tenfold over the life of customers. Additionally, users are finding unique ways to utilize Gemini for unique purposes. Google hopes that adding more AI complementary features to its Chromebooks will encourage users to favor laptops over other devices.
Here’s a rundown of the new and updated tools and features Google has brought to the Chromebook Plus line.
Select to search with Lens
Similar to Circle to search on mobile, Select to search with Lens allows you to collect information about items on your desktop screen with a long press and draw around the thing you want to search. This will bring up a Google Search launcher where you can find out more information about the item you are researching, such as a price, location etc.
Text capture
This feature allows you to take text from an image and move it into a functional medium, such as transferring an event invite to a Google Calendar or moving the details of a receipt to a spreadsheet. This feature not only identifies the texts but recognizes what kind of document it is and maintains all nuances and calculations.
Create images with Quick Insert key
Users can enable the Quick Insert key on Chromebook Plus models to generate AI images or to insert photos and emojis without having to leave their tab or page to go to a third party. This is similar to how users can access memes and emojis on social media on mobile platforms.
“Simplify” with Help me read
The Help me read feature that was previously announced summarized long text. Simplify is an addition to this feature that will take away the more technical or scientific tense in a text and make it sound more digestible and easier to read.
NotebookLM with the Google AI Pro plan
Google has made updates to its paid AI plan, changing the name from Google One Premium to Google AI Pro at its Google I/O developer conference in May. Users will have access to the latest Gemini 2.5 Pro developer model, Veo 3 video model, and NotebookLM brainstorming model. After giving Chromebook Plus owners 12-months of its AI plan for free for the past year, Google has expanded the offer through the rest of 2025, with the additional perks included. With NotebookLM enabled, Chromebook Plus users will have the tool featured on their Shelf for easy access. Additionally, those subscribed to Google AI Pro will have an enhanced NotebookLM version with increased limits.
More desktop optimized apps
Those who purchase a Chromebook Plus will have access to the desktop optimized game, “Squid Game: Unleashed,” as well as the AI photo editing app, Luminar, with three months of complimentary use.