With the release of version 153 for desktop, iOS, and Android, the Chrome browser update schedule has officially been adjusted from four weeks to two weeks. Google says the shift is due to Chrome’s adaptive security policies that continue to evolve in the era of artificial intelligence. Automated artificial intelligence tools for finding vulnerabilities have significantly increased the number of patches, so the company has shifted to shorter release cycles.
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A shorter release schedule will help minimize the so-called “N-day gap,” which is the gap between when a security vulnerability is known and when it is patched. Google says many rapidly evolving threats need to be mitigated by shortening the time between fixes being made to public code and being made available to end users.
Releasing updates more frequently could also help Google roll out new features to its browser more quickly. This becomes especially important in the era of artificial intelligence, because software development using artificial intelligence radically accelerates competition in all types of software. Many alternative browsers are seeking a piece of the Chrome market, including Brave, Dia, Opera Neon, Comet, and DuckDuckGo.
Additionally, Google’s experiments with adding new AI features to Chrome require rapid development, which also means more frequent updates. Chrome updates are being released every two weeks instead, which is also good for the internet as a whole. Considering Chrome is the most widely used browser in the world, changes like this set a new standard for the industry. Mozilla, Microsoft, and Brave are also moving to a two-week schedule.
This isn’t the first time Google has adjusted its Chrome update release schedule. Likewise, in 2021, the company shortened its update release cycle from six weeks to four weeks.
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