Google just declared itself a contender in AI design at IO 2026

Google introduced at its annual Google I/O occasion on Tuesday that it’s launching Pics, a brand new AI-powered design and image-generation app for Google Workspace. The tech big says it designed the app to be accessible to everybody, from academics to small enterprise homeowners.

With Pics, customers can generate all the things from social media graphics and invites to advertising and marketing supplies and mock-ups utilizing easy textual content prompts, with no need any modifying abilities or superior instruments. By giving customers a straightforward approach to generate visuals, Google is seeking to tackle in style design apps like Canva, in addition to merchandise from AI-native rivals like Claude Design from Anthropic. Google’s entry into the area indicators that AI-powered design is quick changing into a core aggressive enviornment — with actual stakes for any enterprise that is dependent upon visible content material.

The brand new app is launching to a bunch of testers at I/O and can be rolling out to Google AI Extremely subscribers this summer time, Google says.

The corporate acknowledges that though AI fashions right now can generate high-quality photos, it’s nonetheless tough to switch only one a part of a picture. When you get a picture that’s virtually good however need to change a small element, it’s important to write a wholly new immediate and hope the AI doesn’t alter an excessive amount of. That’s why Pics not solely generates photos but in addition makes them simply editable.

Customers can enter a immediate, and Pics will generate what they want. Gemini powers the modifying layer, making each aspect in a generated design or picture absolutely adjustable. You possibly can write a brand new immediate to make adjustments, however you too can merely click on the half you need to change and go away a remark — very similar to leaving suggestions in Google Docs.

You may as well edit immediately, with out leaving a remark or writing a immediate. For instance, in case you create a celebration invitation and need to change the time listed on the cardboard, you are able to do so manually.

Pics is powered by Nano Banana 2, which Google says is a robust match for the app as a result of it helps exact textual content rendering, real-world information, and detailed visible output. Pics can also be constructed natively into Google Workspace, enabling visible collaboration throughout its apps.

When you’re completely satisfied together with your design, you may obtain, copy, print, or share it with others. You may as well go it to another person for a last spherical of edits earlier than it goes out, Google says.