Google Disco Turns Browser Tabs Into AI Web Apps
Google has unveiled a new AI-powered experiment called Disco, designed to transform the way we interact with web browsers. Launched on Thursday, Disco leverages Google's Gemini AI to help users turn open browser tabs into interactive web apps, a feature Google calls GenTabs. The goal is simple: make web browsing more actionable and personalized by creating apps that adapt to your workflow in real-time.
Credit: Michele Palazzo / EyeEmIf you’ve ever wished your research or online exploration could become a dynamic tool instead of just static tabs, Disco is aiming to solve that. From studying a subject to planning a trip, the platform automatically suggests apps that match your browsing activity, making task management more intuitive than ever.
What Are GenTabs and How They Work
GenTabs are the centerpiece of Google Disco. These AI-driven tools proactively suggest interactive apps based on the content of your open tabs. For example, if you’re exploring historical events online, Disco could propose a visual timeline app to help you understand and interact with the material.
Beyond academic uses, GenTabs can assist with everyday tasks. You could generate a meal planner from online recipes or organize a travel itinerary directly from your browser. The apps are customizable and respond to natural language prompts, letting you refine functionality without coding skills.
Gemini AI Powers Personalized Experiences
Google Disco’s AI capabilities come from Gemini 3, Google’s latest AI assistant. Unlike other AI chatbots, Disco integrates Gemini directly into the Chrome browser. This integration means it can access your browsing context and Gemini chat history to create smarter, more personalized app suggestions.
Once a GenTab is created, users can continue to adjust its features with simple text commands. This seamless combination of AI suggestion and human input aims to make web-based productivity tools faster and more adaptable than traditional software.
Linking AI Creations Back to Sources
A key feature of Disco is transparency. Any generative content produced by GenTabs links back to the original sources. Google emphasizes that this ensures users maintain trust in the information while benefiting from AI-assisted summarization, visualization, and interactivity.
This approach sets Disco apart from many AI tools that generate content without clear sourcing, providing both utility and reliability for professionals, students, and casual users alike.
AI in Browsers: Google’s Strategy
Google has been steadily pushing AI deeper into web experiences rather than creating standalone AI browsers. Tools like Perplexity’s Comet or ChatGPT Atlas offer separate AI browsing experiences, but Google’s strategy is different: embed AI directly into Chrome, where it complements your usual workflow.
By integrating Gemini into Chrome, Google hopes to make AI a natural part of browsing rather than an external add-on. Disco is the latest step in this strategy, offering users practical, real-time applications without switching platforms.
Practical Use Cases for Disco
From research to planning, Disco’s potential is broad. Students could transform research tabs into study aids, while professionals might organize work tasks or generate visual reports. Travelers can turn multiple booking and destination tabs into a single interactive planning tool.
The flexibility of Disco shows how AI can move beyond passive suggestion, actively shaping tools that respond to user needs in real-time. It’s a step toward truly adaptive web experiences, powered by AI but guided by human intent.
How Disco Compares to Existing AI Tools
While AI chatbots like ChatGPT can summarize web content or offer task automation, they often require manual input to organize or visualize data. Disco automates this by suggesting app formats based on your tabs and refining them with natural language commands.
This makes it uniquely suited for users who want actionable outcomes from their browsing without spending time building tools from scratch. It’s not just about answers—it’s about creating functional, personalized web apps on demand.
User Experience and Accessibility
Google has designed Disco with simplicity in mind. Creating a GenTab requires no coding skills—just open the relevant tabs and let the AI suggest an app. Users can then adjust the app’s functionality using plain language, ensuring accessibility for everyone, from students to seasoned professionals.
The AI interface remains integrated in the browser, avoiding unnecessary downloads or complex workflows, keeping the experience smooth and intuitive.
AI in Everyday Browsing
Disco is more than a novelty—it represents a shift in how AI could interact with the web. By turning static browsing sessions into interactive, adaptive tools, Google is redefining the potential of AI in daily online activities.
As AI becomes more embedded in browsers, users can expect increasingly sophisticated tools that anticipate needs, streamline workflows, and enhance creativity. Disco is an early but significant glimpse into this future.
Google Disco’s Potential Impact
With Disco, Google is demonstrating how AI can move from assistance to creation. GenTabs showcase the power of AI-driven productivity, turning ordinary tabs into interactive applications that improve learning, planning, and daily tasks.
While still in its experimental phase, Disco highlights Google’s commitment to embedding AI in everyday tools, offering a glimpse of a more proactive, intelligent browsing experience.
