Your Gmail, Photos and YouTube history in one AI feed? Google's Dreambeans has a twist

Digital surprise

What if Google could turn your emails, photos and search history into stories about your own life? Google has launched Dreambeans, an experimental AI-powered app in India for users aged 18 and above. Instead of scrolling endlessly through social media or repeatedly typing prompts, users receive personalised visual stories every day. The app draws information from selected Google services to suggest everything from places to visit to activities worth exploring.

Inbox intelligence

Your Gmail inbox and Google Photos could soon become the ingredients for a personalised AI story feed. Dreambeans uses Google's Personal Intelligence technology to connect information from services including Gmail, Calendar, Photos, Search, Gemini and YouTube, with user permission. It can turn those details into illustrated stories about upcoming events, forgotten interests and everyday activities. But there's an important privacy question: how much personal information would you want an AI app to access?

Animated memories

Google's Dreambeans isn't limited to static pictures and personalised recommendations. The app also uses Google's Veo AI video-generation technology to animate images in selected stories, giving familiar photographs and personal moments a new visual dimension. Users can explore stories, save them for later or share them with others. Google's AI-generated illustrations add another creative element, but the app is still experimental and may occasionally produce inaccurate details or recommendations.

Privacy bargain

Google's new AI app promises a personalised experience, but it also raises questions about data access. Dreambeans can use information from Gmail, Google Photos and other connected services to generate daily stories. Google says users can choose which services to connect, disconnect them later and delete their Dreambeans data. The app is available on Android and iOS in India, with support for 14 languages, including English and Hindi. However, it can generate stories in only one selected language at a time.