Google's AI-Powered Lifestyle App 'Dreambeans' Now Free in the US (9to5google.com)
- Reference: 0185290464
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/08/30/0422259/googles-ai-powered-lifestyle-app-dreambeans-now-free-in-the-us
- Source link: https://9to5google.com/2026/08/28/google-dreambeans-free/
The blog [2] 9to5Google notes that after previously requiring a subscription, Dreambeans "is now available for free Google Accounts in the US to test, calling it "very much like a hyper-personalized Google Now or Discover feed."
> Instead of using stock imagery, each Dreambeans story is accompanied by Nano Banana 2-generated artwork that uses an illustrated style. For example, if Dreambeans recommends a hike, you might see yourself and a group of friends at that location... There's also an "Ask anything" chat experience to get more information. You can leave feedback by tapping the heart or downvoting, while the chat interface allows you to provide more details. "Tune your feed" lets you tell Dreambeans what you "want more stories about" and what it should never show.
Or, as TechCrunch senior writer Lucas Ropek puts it, you get a curated list of AI-illustrated "stories" that " [3]will turn your life into a cartoon "
> [Gozde Oznur, the product lead behind the new app, told TechCrunch the app] has also been built as a doomscrolling antidote, in that it only provides users with a limited number of stories per day — typically 10 to 14. The idea is to get a few inspirational ideas and then go out and live your life, she said. A lot of companies are currently trying to court the user that is sick of phone addiction. I recently [4]reviewed a startup, Bond , which also uses AI to auto-generate lifestyle suggestions for the user.
>
> What about privacy protections? According to Oznur, they are pretty solid. The only person with access to the app's stories is the user, she said. Users can also delete their data whenever they want, and can choose which Google services they want to connect to the tool.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxTY0ndAWZM
[2] https://9to5google.com/2026/08/28/google-dreambeans-free/
[3] https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/googles-dreambeans-its-weirdest-named-ai-tool-to-date-will-turn-your-life-into-a-cartoon/
[4] https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/21/bond-social-media-platform-ai-memories-kick-doomscrolling-habit/
Wow (Score:2)
That's "wow" as in - "Wow, they've spent all those billions and this dreck is the best they can come up as a sales pitch for their AI product?"
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, it bugs the shit out of me that we're basically burning down the amazon, and emptying out the aquifers* so a chatbot can hyper-surveil me to make dumb fucking suggestions I will do everything in my power to hide and ignore. And we COULD have spent that money on so many things that are actually socially useful.
Like, I dont mind at all if AI is used to make the world better. Drug discovery, solve some hard maths, shit like that. But it seems like *all* of the money is going on fucking marketing bots.
*An
Refreshing (Score:2)
Quite refreshing. Some new sick, scary idea, that I can not directly recall from any dystopian novel, but it would fit nicely into many of them. It's like a preludy to "Being Inc" from Lem's "Perfect Vacuum" (which is a collection of reviews of imaginary books, so it doesn't count). And what an endless opportunity for selling your life to whomever pays more. "Suggestions" like "how about movie X", "new restaurant Y", "buy product Z", etc. Sweet!
Re: (Score:2)
> Quite refreshing. Some new sick, scary idea, that I can not directly recall from any dystopian novel, but it would fit nicely into many of them. It's like a preludy to "Being Inc" from Lem's "Perfect Vacuum" (which is a collection of reviews of imaginary books, so it doesn't count). And what an endless opportunity for selling your life to whomever pays more. "Suggestions" like "how about movie X", "new restaurant Y", "buy product Z", etc. Sweet!
Won't someone think of the children? Seriously, kids these days immediately turn to AI for answers to everything, just like oldsters would easily google stuff from their 'smartphones'. And kids tend not to hesitate to upload so much of their personal information, which tends to stick around forever.
And companies get hacked by motivated actors using evolving tools and technology. What can possibly go wrong?
Re: (Score:2)
To me it sounds like Google's version of Clippy.
GrapheneOS is seeming more and more appealing (Score:5, Insightful)
because you know this bullshit is going to be on by default in no time.
Great new business opportunity! (Score:2)
Can I pay for a service that will keep this way the fuck off of my phone and computer?
Re: (Score:2)
You don't have to. There are operating systems and phone manufacturers, that respect that and already give it. No service necessary. Just like there are countries where is no need for a privacy data deleting requestor services or tax report preparation services.
Oh great (Score:2)
another echo chamber to isolate us from different opinions and reinforce our beliefs. As if we hadn't too much of that already!
Avoid Google because of its tracking (Score:2)
I avoid buying or installing any product with Google shit in it because it is hard or even impossible to disable ANY fucking tracking of me by EVIL fucking Google.
Governments need to enact and enforce No Tracking laws that make it the default, not an impossible dream.
Not interested in anything google these days (Score:2)
A million years ago I thought there was probably some synergy between my gmail account and getting better, personalized search results. That never was realized, but oh well. I can't even recall the last time I used google for anything . I use Kagi for search now but even then it's use is pretty minimal. Now that the need for search engines is being replaced.... why would I ever use a google product? What value does the brand "google" even bring to the table in 2026? Other than Kagi I haven't been actively tr
turned right the fuck off (Score:2)
Can I use this space to ask why the fuck I get a full screen overlay on Android if I hold my finger somewhere the bottom for to long? I don't know how I'm doing it but I put my finger somewhere several times a day that brings it up. Then when I try to touch the screen to dismiss it, it starts selecting things. There is a tiny X in the top left corner that makes it go away but by that time my thinking is sufficiently interrupted. It's very annoying. Can I turn it right the fuck off somehow?
Re: (Score:2)
Sounds like malware, bro.
bah (Score:2)
I don't need Google's help to turn my life into a dismal cartoon.