AI-related browser extensions cover a wide range of jobs: some remove AI-generated content you don't want to see, like Google's AI Overviews in search results, while others use AI-adjacent techniques like tracking pixels to tell you when a sent email has been opened. They have little in common besides the AI label, so it helps to know exactly what you need before installing one.
Hide Google's AI Overviews from search results
Several extensions exist specifically to remove the AI-generated summary box that now appears above regular search results on Google. They work by detecting and hiding that section of the page, restoring the classic list of links. Since Google can change its page layout at any time, favor an extension that is updated frequently and check that it still works after a Google redesign.
How email tracking extensions work
An email tracker extension, often used with Gmail, embeds a tiny invisible image in outgoing emails. When the recipient opens the email, their mail client loads that image, which notifies you. This tells you whether an email was opened and sometimes when, but it cannot tell you if it was read, and it stops working if the recipient blocks remote images.
What to check before installing an AI extension
Because these extensions touch either your search results or your email content, permissions matter more than usual. A search-hiding extension only needs access to the Google search domain. An email tracker needs access to your email provider's site, so check its privacy policy for what it does with email content and open data before granting access.