Best Google Labs Experiments in 2026: The Ultimate List of AI Tools You Should Try
Google Labs has quietly become one of the most exciting places on the internet for anyone interested in AI, creativity, productivity, and learning. While most people focus on ChatGPT or Gemini as products, Google Labs is where Google tests the future — raw, experimental, and often mind-blowing AI ideas before they become mainstream.
In 2025, Google Labs groups its experiments into Create, Learn, Play, and Productivity, covering everything from AI-generated podcasts to browser-level automation agents.
In this guide, you’ll find a carefully curated list of the best Google Labs experiments, explained in simple language — what they do, who they’re for, and why they matter.
Why Google Labs Experiments Matter
Google Labs experiments are not just demos. They are:
- Early access to next-generation AI capabilities
- A preview of what Google may roll into Search, Workspace, Android, or Chrome
- A playground for creators, marketers, researchers, and developers
Many tools you use today started as Labs experiments. That makes this list especially valuable if you like being early, curious, and ahead of trends.
🔹 AI Creation & Media Experiments
1. NotebookLM – Your AI-Powered Research Companion
Category: Creation, Research, Productivity
NotebookLM is one of the most useful Google Labs experiments ever released.
You upload your own sources — PDFs, documents, notes, or links — and NotebookLM becomes a private AI assistant trained only on your material. It can:
- Summarize long documents
- Answer questions with citations
- Create outlines, FAQs, and study notes
- Generate audio overviews (podcast-style summaries)
👉 Best for: Researchers, students, writers, analysts, UX designers, product managers.
2. Illuminate – Turn Research Into Podcasts
Category: AI Media, Learning
Illuminate transforms dense content (research papers, articles, videos) into a two-person podcast conversation. Instead of reading 40 pages, you can listen to a structured discussion explaining key ideas.
This experiment is powerful because it changes how we consume knowledge, especially for auditory learners.
👉 Best for: Researchers, lifelong learners, podcast lovers.
🔗 illuminate.google.com/explore
3. Sparkify – From Questions to Animated Videos
Category: AI Video Creation
Sparkify lets you ask a question and instantly turns it into a short animated explainer video using Gemini and Veo.
It’s still a waitlist experiment, but its potential is massive:
- Educational content
- Social media explainers
- Internal training videos
👉 Best for: Educators, creators, marketers.
🔗 sparkify.withgoogle.com/explore
4. Google Vids, Whisk & Mixboard – Creator Tool Stack
Category: Creative Productivity
These internal Labs tools focus on content ideation and video creation:
- Google Vids: Script-to-video generation
- Whisk: Social content brainstorming
- Mixboard: Visual + text ideation boards powered by AI
Together, they form an early version of Google’s creator workflow ecosystem.
👉 Best for: Content teams, marketing agencies, solo creators.
🔗workspace.google.com/intl/en_in/products/vids/
🔗 https://labs.google/fx/tools/whisk
🔗 labs.google.com/mixboard/welcome
🔹 Productivity & AI Assistants
5. CC (Gmail AI Agent) – Your Inbox, Automated
Category: Productivity
CC is an experimental Gmail AI agent that:
- Sends daily email summaries
- Drafts replies
- Handles updates when you email it instructions
This is a clear step toward AI agents inside productivity tools, not just chatbots.
👉 Best for: Founders, executives, busy professionals.
🔗 workspace.google.com/intl/en_in/products/gmail/ai/
6. Disco (GenTabs) – Remix Your Browser Tabs
Category: Productivity, Browser AI
Disco experiments with features like GenTabs, which turns your open browser tabs into:
- Custom dashboards
- Mini apps
- Task-specific views
Instead of tab chaos, you get context-aware workspaces.
👉 Best for: Power users, researchers, multitaskers.
7. Project Mariner – Browser-Level AI Automation
Category: AI Agents
Project Mariner is one of the most advanced Google Labs experiments. It acts as a browser copilot that:
- Understands web pages
- Navigates forms
- Automates multi-step tasks across sites
This is not just assistance — it’s true task automation.
👉 Best for: Operations teams, automation enthusiasts, developers.
🔗 labs.google.com/mariner/landing
8. Project Astra (Labs Integration) – Real-Time Multimodal AI
Category: Advanced AI
Project Astra is Google’s vision of a real-time AI assistant that understands:
- Live camera input
- Audio
- Your environment
Inside Labs, Astra experiments show how AI can see, hear, and reason in real time.
👉 Best for: Future-tech explorers, AR/AI researchers.
🔗 deepmind.google/models/project-astra/
🔹 Learning & Research Experiments
9. Learn Your Way – Adaptive Learning with AI
Category: Learning
This experiment adapts content to how you learn, not just what you learn. It converts material into:
- Personalized explanations
- Quizzes
- Practice sessions
The system adjusts difficulty and format dynamically.
👉 Best for: Students, educators, self-learners.
🔗 learnyourway.withgoogle.com/
10. Learn About – AI Meets Curiosity
Category: Exploration, Education
“Learn About” lets you explore topics conversationally, but with structured explanations, follow-up questions, and contextual depth.
Think of it as curiosity-driven learning, not search results.
👉 Best for: Curious minds, educators, parents.
11. LearnLM – Learning-Optimized AI Models
Category: AI Research
LearnLM isn’t a single tool — it’s a family of learning-focused AI models powering educational Labs experiments.
Its goal: teach concepts clearly, safely, and effectively.
👉 Best for: EdTech builders, AI researchers.
🔗 cloud.google.com/solutions/learnlm
🔹 Play, Creativity & Generative Media
12. Genie 3 – AI-Generated 3D Worlds
Category: Generative AI, Gaming
Genie 3 (from DeepMind) generates interactive 3D environments from text prompts — playable in real time.
This is a glimpse into:
- AI-generated games
- Simulations
- Virtual worlds
👉 Best for: Game designers, AI researchers, metaverse builders.
🔗 deepmind.google/models/genie/
13. Imagen & Veo Media Demos
Category: Image & Video AI
Google Labs showcases:
- Imagen 4 for high-quality images
- Veo 3.x for cinematic video generation
These demos highlight Google’s progress in high-fidelity generative media.
👉 Best for: Designers, filmmakers, advertisers.
🔗 aistudio.google.com/models/veo-3
14. Experiments with Google – AI Collection
Category: Creative AI
A separate but related gallery featuring playful experiments like:
- Look to Speak
- Scroobly
- Bring Your Own The Model (BYOTM)
These projects focus on human-centered, creative AI.
👉 Best for: Designers, accessibility advocates, educators.
🔹 Marketing & Creator-Focused Labs Tools
15. Pomelli – AI Marketing Assistant
Category: Marketing AI
Pomelli learns your brand from your website and generates:
- On-brand ad copy
- Campaign ideas
- Social media content
It’s designed for brand consistency at scale.
👉 Best for: Marketers, startups, agencies.
🔗 labs.google.com/u/0/pomelli/about
16. Mixboard – Campaign Ideation with AI
Category: Creative Strategy
Mixboard expands your ideas with AI-generated visuals and copy, making it ideal for:
- Campaign planning
- Creative brainstorming
- Team alignment
👉 Best for: Creative directors, marketers.
🔗 labs.google.com/mixboard/welcome
How to Access Google Labs Experiments
Visit labs.google → Experiments
You can filter by:
- Create
- Learn
- Play
- Productivity
Some tools are instant access, others require joining a waitlist.
Final Thoughts: Why You Should Try Google Labs in 2025
Google Labs is where AI becomes tangible — not abstract theory, but real tools that change how we work, learn, and create.
If you’re a:
- Creator → try NotebookLM, Sparkify, Mixboard
- Professional → explore CC, Disco, Project Mariner
- Learner → use Learn Your Way, Learn About
- Tech enthusiast → dive into Astra, Genie, Veo
The future is being tested here — quietly.
