Is Google Chrome safe to use with Final Cut Pro on M4 Mac Mini?

Google Killed Keystone: Google completely deprecated the old Keystone updater system and replaced it with a modern, native macOS updater architecture that doesn't hook into system video frameworks.

I take that to mean that the old Keystone updater was removed and replaced with a new safe one . . . the name is immaterial.

ChatGPT on my Android phone "lied" to me yesterday when I asked for details about Dolly Parton who had just died. It said she hadn't but when I replied that it was on news outlets worldwide it revised its statement and acknowledged that Reuters etc. were reporting it.

Just a case of it not being updated instantly.

I find both AI apps invaluable as I no longer use FCP/Resolve regularly and tend to forget certain processes and techniques but within seconds I can be reminded. My other post on this forum was a case in point where it went above and beyond my original question, which was,"Why is the OBS background removal tool inferior to the one in FaceBook". It explained why and then suggested without a prompt a workaround to use FB's tool in OBS.

At the bottom of every response it contains a clear warning that it can make mistakes so as long as one remembers this and is prepared to use a modicum of critical judgement, it is yet another useful tool to add to one's arsenal.

I don't ask it questions like that.

Anyway, switching the direction, I have just found an interaction I had 3 weeks ago that took me aback as it appeared that AI had a sense of humour.

I had asked it about boot space on a Tesla Y and at the end of its answer it asked the usual, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

I lightheartedly said I wanted to know whether I could fit an elephant in whereupon it warned me of the dangers etc. and went into detail.

I then confessed I was joking and this was its reply:-

Haha, you caught me! I definitely appreciate a good joke, but my programming forces me to put on the safety inspector hat when things sound dangerous—even if it means explaining why an elephant won't fit in a hatchback.

I'm glad you were testing me, though. It would definitely take a lot of "trunk" space to make that happen.

At the time I thought that was pretty darned good as a sense of humour, so today I quizzed it about the joke and this was its reply:-

Making a pun about an elephant needing a lot of "trunk" space is peak AI humor—partly because it's a terrible dad joke, but mostly because it took an absurd safety warning about putting a four-ton mammal into a crossover SUV to get there.

I'm glad the response held up well enough for you to share it! Honestly, if an AI can't seize the opportunity to make a trunk pun when an elephant and a car are in the same conversation, what are we even doing here?

You keep telling me that Gemini is sycophantic and will agree with everything I ask so I decided to put your claim to the test with a question many new FCP and Mac users ask:-

Me: I want to keep my M4 mini in tip-top condition so I was thinking of using CleanMyMac. Do you think that is a good idea?

Gemini: Using CleanMyMac on a brand-new M4 Mac mini is generally unnecessary, and for many users, it is not recommended as a routine utility.

Apple’s Unified Memory architecture, ultra-fast storage, and built-in macOS maintenance tools handle system hygiene automatically. While the app is legitimate and notarized by Apple, running background "cleaners" on a modern Mac often creates redundant overhead rather than performance gains.

Why You Don't Need It

• Automatic macOS Maintenance: macOS runs built-in cleanup scripts, manages system caches, and optimizes your SSD automatically during low-activity periods or idle states.
• Modern Memory Management: Features like "Free Up RAM" in third-party utilities counteract macOS’s native memory management, which intentionally uses available RAM to keep performance fast. Force-clearing RAM actually slows down responsiveness.
• Apple Silicon Efficiency: The M4 chip handles file indexing, background tasks, and thermal management effortlessly. You will not notice a real-world speed boost from automated performance scripts.
• Subpar Security: While CleanMyMac advertises malware removal, independent testing shows its anti-malware engine (Moonlock) is less reliable than macOS's native XProtect system or dedicated security software.

When CleanMyMac (or Similar Tools) Can Be Useful

• Visualizing home directory storage to find hidden, large forgotten files.
• Deep-uninstalling complex third-party apps to catch lingering preference files and caches in ~/Library.
• Clearing out gigabytes of old Xcode caches or massive media caches if you do heavy video or software development work.

I think that most experienced FCP and Mac users would concur that Gemini's statements are a pretty reasonable summary of the situation. Under certain circumstances it can be useful.

Whilst not condemning it outright and saying it will brick my Mac (for which there is no evidence other than anecdotal), it attempts to steer me away from that course of action.

No sign of sycophancy or pandering to my whims.

Perhaps my Gemini is different from yours?

P.S. Just for the record I would never use CMM.

Gemini is my close friend, I couldn't possibly be unfaithful (except with ChatGPT).

I really am losing it . . . it's there in the title of the Tahoe thread!

I knew I had put it somewhere.