Google launched its experimental Dreambeans AI app in India on November 3 for Android and iOS users. The app uses data from Gmail, YouTube, and Photos to create personalised visual stories. Product manager Gozde Oznur said, "the user will be able to choose Google services to connect and disconnect them."
Google has launched its experimental Dreambeans AI app in India, its first international market outside the US, for Android and iOS users aged 18 and above.
Google has launched its experimental AI-powered Dreambeans app in India, bringing personalised, AI-generated visual stories to Android and iOS users aged 18 and above. Announced on November 3, it is the first overseas market outside of the US, marking its first international expansion. The app leverages data from selected Google services, such as Gmail, Google Photos, Calendar, Search, Gemini and YouTube, to provide illustrated stories that reflect users' interests and everyday activities.
Dreambeans is an application designed by Google Labs that will be able to help users find information without having to scroll through feeds or enter prompts. Instead, the app proactively generates personalised story collections using connected Google accounts. The India launch also adds to the support of 14 languages, including English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Punjabi, Urdu, and more.
How Google Dreambeans works
Google says Dreambeans processes data from the services that users are linked to to create a daily visual story about different subject areas, including travel, arts and crafts, local events, and upcoming reminders. Each story can be accessed to see more information, mark for future reading or pass on to others.
The app was previously able to create static AI images, but Google has recently added video animation for certain stories through its Veo video-generation model. Users can also give feedback that can affect the kind of content in their collections.
The Dreambeans is accessible in Android and iOS devices in India. However, users can select only one language at a time for their generated stories. During a press briefing, Google product manager Gozde Oznur confirmed that the app can handle information in different languages, but it is currently not possible to create stories that interweave different languages, such as Hindi and English.
Google Dreambeans raises privacy issues
Use of personal Google account information in the app may be of concern regarding privacy and access to data. Dreambeans uses Google's Personal Intelligence technology to personalise stories using information from connected services, some of which may contain sensitive details.
During the press briefing, Oznur said that the user will be able to choose Google services to connect and disconnect them as needed. They can also take their Dreambeans data from the application. Google also states that data that is deleted from the connected services is also erased from the app's personalisation system.
Users can also request that Dreambeans not return certain information such as business-related topics. Oznur explained that it's only for personal Gmail accounts, and generated stories can be viewed only by the user.
According to estimates from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, shared by TechCrunch, the app recorded nearly 55,000 downloads in the US since its launch. September saw around 63% of these downloads, whereas October was down 84% month on month to about 5,500 downloads.
Google stated that the interest of users and their usage of its services in India had made it their first international market. The company is also working to make Dreambeans more actionable, which may involve enabling users to take action on some of the recommendations that are provided by the app.