Google Search now lets you build your own apps with agentic coding
▼ Summary
– Google Search will let users build custom mini-apps, like dashboards or trackers, directly within search results, using generative UI.
– The feature creates tailored responses with interactive visuals, tables, graphs, or simulations in real-time for specific questions.
– Examples include custom layouts for complex topics, ongoing task widgets for planning, and fitness trackers using live data from reviews, maps, and weather.
– The generative UI capabilities will be available to all users free of charge starting this summer.
– Custom mini-app experiences will roll out in the coming months, initially for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S.
Google is rolling out a groundbreaking capability that allows users to build custom applications directly within Google Search. Instead of simply retrieving information, searchers can now configure a search feature that delivers precisely the data they need, formatted exactly how they want it, and sourced from their preferred outlets.
At Google I/O, Liz Reid, the head of Google Search, explained that “Search can build the ideal response, in the right format for your question – completely on the fly. So you can get custom generative UI, including visual tools and simulations, tailored precisely to your needs.”
Here’s what this new functionality looks like in practice:
First, for complex topics like astrophysics or understanding how a mechanical watch functions, Search can assemble custom layouts in real time. It pulls together interactive visuals, tables, graphs, and simulations to help you grasp the subject more intuitively.
Second, for ongoing tasks such as planning a wedding or managing a home move, Search can create custom dashboards and trackers. Reid described these as “mini apps for your own specific tasks” that you can revisit and update as you make progress.
Third, consider a fitness tracker built inside Search. You can ask Google to code a personalized tracker that pulls from live sources including reviews, real-time maps, and local weather data. The result is a dynamic tool that adapts to your routine week after week.
Visually, these experiences appear as generative UI elements within the search results page. For example, a custom tracker might display a dashboard with graphs and checklists, while a complex concept might be illustrated with an interactive simulation.
Availability is staggered. The generative UI features will roll out to all Google Search users this summer at no cost. More advanced custom experiences, like the mini apps, will arrive in the coming months. They will first be available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States.
Why this matters for marketers and developers: Google Search is evolving from a question-answering machine into a platform for building mini applications. This shift means users can now code their own tools directly within Search, receiving answers in the exact format and style they prefer. It’s a uniquely generative-AI-driven approach that redefines what search can do.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
