Google AI Studio can now build native Android apps from prompts

In short: Google says you can now use Google AI Studio to create native Android apps by describing what you want in plain text.

What happened

Google announced that, starting today, Google AI Studio can build native Android apps. “Native” means the app is made to run directly on Android, rather than being a web page wrapped to look like an app.

The basic flow is simple. You type a prompt that describes your app idea. AI Studio then creates an app you can preview using an Android emulator (a simulator, like a virtual phone on your computer). If you want to try it on a real device, you can connect an Android phone to your computer and install the app.

Google says it will add a way to invite app testers from inside AI Studio in the future. Testers are people who try the app and report problems before it is released more widely.

Google is also setting expectations about what this tool is for right now. In a related blog post, the company says the first version focuses on “personal utility” apps like habit trackers and study quizzes, apps that use phone features like the camera or GPS, and apps that use Gemini’s API (an API is a way for software to ask another service for help, like placing an order at a counter).

Google added that if you want to publish an app on Google Play, it still has to pass the usual review rules. A Google spokesperson told The Verge the review process and standards are not changing.

Why it matters

This could make it easier for more people to make small, useful apps without starting from scratch. But it does not mean anyone can instantly publish any kind of app, since Google Play still checks for quality and policy compliance.

Source: The Verge AI