Instead of copying text into a separate AI chat tool, an AI writing extension adds drafting and rewriting buttons directly inside the text fields you already use. Coverage varies a lot between extensions, so check that one actually works on the sites you write in before relying on it daily.
What AI writing extensions typically do
Most AI writing extensions add a button or menu inside text fields to draft a reply, shorten a paragraph, change tone, or fix grammar using an AI model. Some work only in specific apps like Gmail or LinkedIn, while others aim to work in any text box across the web, with mixed reliability depending on the site.
Privacy considerations for AI writing tools
An AI writing extension needs to send the text you're working on to a server to generate suggestions, so check its privacy policy for how long that text is kept and whether it's used to train models. Be cautious with extensions that request broad access to read every website rather than only the fields you're typing in.
Hiding Google's AI Overviews instead of using AI writing tools
If your interest is reducing AI content rather than generating it, a separate category of extension can hide Google's AI Overviews from search results, restoring the classic list of links. This is unrelated to AI writing assistants and serves people who prefer traditional search results over AI-generated summaries.