 Thomas Steiner [GitHub](https://github.com/tomayac) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassteinerlinkedin) [Mastodon](https://toot.cafe/@tomayac) [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/tomayac.com) [Homepage](https://blog.tomayac.com/)
Published: May 26, 2026
[Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddBxvuH35tI)
*This post is a write-up of the talk given at Google I/O 2026 by Thomas Steiner.*
Imagine building a travel blog where the blog post editor doesn't just store the
text, but where it actively supports you when writing. Meet Maya and Ashok, the
creators of **trAIlblazers** . They use [built-in AI in
Chrome](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/ai/built-in). By running models directly on the user's device,
developers bypass expensive cloud costs and latency while keeping sensitive data
local.
We've collaborated with Build Awesome (formerly known as Eleventy) to release a
**blog template with all the AI features** listed in the talk.
## Why built-in AI?
- **Cost-efficient:** No cloud inference cost, all computation happens on users' supporting devices.
- **Privacy first:** Sensitive data never leaves the browser.
- **Offline functionality:** Once the model is downloaded, AI features work without an internet connection.
- **Performance:** Hardware acceleration allows on-device models to rival (and sometimes beat) cloud speeds.
- **Hybrid inference:** Using polyfills and tools like **Firebase AI Logic**, you can fall back to the cloud on unsupported devices (like mobile) while staying native on desktop.
## AI features for modern web apps
### The Summarizer API
The trAIlblazers editor uses the [Summarizer API](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/ai/summarizer-api.md.txt) to
generate headlines and SEO-friendly meta descriptions automatically.
**Example: Generate a headline**
```javascript
const blogPost = document.querySelector('.article-body').innerText;
const summarizer = await Summarizer.create({
type: 'headline',
sharedContext: 'Write headlines that make people want to read the blog post',
});
for await (const chunk of summarizer.summarizeStreaming(blogPost)) {
headline.append(chunk);
}
```
### The Prompt API (with structured output)
Need specific data? By using [**JSON Schema** with the Prompt
API](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/ai/structured-output-for-prompt-api), you can make the AI return
predictable formats. The trAIlblazers team uses this for the following:
- **Tag Generation:** Suggest categories like "Adventure" or "Beach" from a predefined list.
- **Comment Moderation:** Classify comments as "Safe" or "Harmful" before they are published.
### Media accessibility
The editor automates the "hard parts" of Markdown. When you drop an image, the
[Prompt API (with multimodal
input)](https://developers.google.com/ml-kit/genai/prompt/android/get-started)
analyzes the pixels to generate accessible alt-text and informative captions.
### Writing and rewriting
With the [**Writer**](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/ai/writer-api.md.txt) and [**Rewriter
APIs**](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/ai/rewriter-api), users can expand bullet points into complete
paragraphs and change the tone of a paragraph to be "more casual" or "shorter"
with a single click.
### Seamless translation
The [**Translator API**](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/ai/translator-api.md.txt) allows creators to draft
content in English and instantly translate it for Spanish or Japanese readers,
which native speakers can then refine.
 Draft content with the Translator API in English and instantly translate it to Spanish and Japanese.
## Real-world success stories
Many partners are already shipping these APIs in production. Notable examples
include the following:
- **Drupal:** Uses the Summarizer API for SEO tag generation within CKEditor.
- **Yahoo! Japan:** Uses the Prompt API for community comment moderation.
- **Trip.com:** Helps shoppers navigate complex flight booking options with AI overviews.
## Resources from the talk
Ready to build your own "trAIlblazers" experience? Check out these resources:
- **Starter template:** [Build Awesome
starter-extended-blog](https://github.com/GoogleChrome/starter-extended-blog) (Includes all AI features mentioned in the talk.)
- **Documentation:** [Built-in AI on Chrome for Developers](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/ai/built-in)
- **TypeScript support:** Install [`@types/dom-chromium-ai`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@types/dom-chromium-ai) on npm.
- **Google I/O 2025 talk:** [Practical built-in AI with Gemini Nano in Chrome](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjpZCWYrSxM)