Google I/O 2026: Every new AI tool you can try for free

Google just announced a smorgasbord of new AI tools for productivity and creativity at its Google I/O keynote on Tuesday, but not many of them are available for free right now.

I/O was huge for Gemini superusers, as the flashiest new features are all rolling out to paying members right now. Even Google AI Plus and Pro users will miss out on some of them. That makes sense from a business and AI safety perspective — test new tools with your most engaged power users, then roll them out widely — but it does make things a bit less exciting for the average Google user.

Fear not, though, because there actually were a few new tools announced on Tuesday that you can use right away, and without dropping a single cent. Let's talk about them.

Gemini 3.5 Flash

The biggest news out of Google I/O? The immediate launch of Gemini 3.5 Flash, the new default model for the Gemini app and Google Search.

If you want to try it, it's as simple as just opening the Gemini app or using Google AI Mode. Google says Gemini 3.5 Flash is faster than other models and can better handle complex agentic tasks, all while using tokens more efficiently. And yes, it can help with vibe coding. This one's easy to try, as Gemini 3.5 Flash is now the default Gemini model for everyone. Go check it out.

Gemini Omni Flash for YouTube Shorts and Create

First up is Gemini Omni Flash, a new world model. While it only generates video for now, it can simulate physics and draw from Gemini's real-world knowledge, resulting in more accurate environments. Beyond that, Omni Flash videos can be edited via conversational dialogue with the app, so if you want to change the background of a shot, you can just tell it to do that.

Eventually, Omni will be a fully multimodal world model in terms of both inputs and outputs. At launch, you can use text, images, videos, or audio as the basis for creation, rather than just text. Omni Flash will be available later this week for YouTube Shorts and in the YouTube Create app for all users, for free.

SynthID in Chrome and Google Search

Tired of not being able to tell if something was generated with AI? Thanks to some new developments with Google Search and Chrome, that should become a lot easier.

During I/O, Google announced that Chrome and Search will now have the ability to use SynthID (an invisible digital watermark on AI-generated content, created at the point of generation) to detect AI content. All you have to to is right-click on an image or use Circle to Search, at which point it will let you know if any part of the image was made with AI — at least, that's the idea.

Part of this announcement was that several third-party entities, including OpenAI, have also adopted SynthID, so it should be even more widespread than ever.

Neural Expressive in the Gemini app

Finally, Google introduced a new visual design language for Gemini. While it's not technically a tool, you can try it for free right away in the Gemini desktop and mobile app. The new design language uses more vibrant colors, new haptic feedback, and fluid animations. Google says it also integrates Gemini Live, the app's live voice mode, directly into the core experience.

Google Pics

Google also teased the upcoming launch of Google Pics, which will be available in Workspace apps like Google Docs and Keep. It's a Canva-like tool for creating images, flyers, and similar visual presentations. It's all powered by Google AI, of course, so you can take advantage of Gemini intelligence and Nano Banana image generation.

Unfortunately, Google Pics is also rolling out to paid users, with one exception. If you have a Google Workspace business account through your employer, you'll be able to try Pics without paying anything yourself.