Google Labs, the division of the tech giant focused on experimental product design, has introduced a new AI-powered app for both iOS and Android that aims to bring your life to life in a very literal sense. Say hello to Dreambeans. Why that name? We’ll get to it shortly. First, what does it do? "These stories come in a variety of different shapes and forms, although—in general—they seem to be lifestyle suggestions," explains Oznur. She describes them as "places to visit, topics to explore, things to try, upcoming trips, events that you should be aware of."

Dreambeans generates these ideas by tapping into a user’s Google data. "With your permission, Dreambeans uses Personal Intelligence to connect information from Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Photos, YouTube and Search History, to curate a finite collection of daily stories designed to spark new ideas," the company states. For example, some stories might be location-based suggestions—such as recommending a new coffee shop near the user’s home that they might enjoy. Or, as shown in a marketing video, if you’re getting a new dog and that event is marked in your Google Calendar, Dreambeans could deliver insights about life with a new puppy. Other stories might simply be news articles curated from the web, based on the user’s past interests.

Oznur noted that the app was also designed as an antidote to doomscrolling, offering users only a limited number of stories per day—typically 10 to 14. The goal is to provide a few inspirational ideas and then encourage users to go out and live their lives, she said. Many companies are currently trying to attract users tired of phone addiction. I recently reviewed a startup called Bond, which also uses AI to automatically generate lifestyle suggestions for users. What about privacy protections? According to Oznur, they are quite robust. The only person with access to the app’s stories is the user, she explained. Users can delete their data at any time and can choose which Google services they want to connect to the tool.

Finally, where did the name "Dreambeans" come from? The idea for the name was partly inspired by how the system works while you’re asleep, Oznur said. "The dream part is literal, because while you sleep, the app is working through everything across your connected apps, because, as you can imagine, it’s a lot of data that it is distilling," she explained. "The beans part is about how you kind of start your day with a freshly brewed cup of coffee. It has processed everything overnight and hands you a concentrated drop of inspiration in the morning."

Dreambeans is currently available only for eligible U.S.-based Google AI Ultra subscribers on Android and iOS. However, there is also a waitlist available for users with a personal Google account.