Google has just declared itself a competitor in AI design at IO 2026

Google announced in its annual Google I/O event Tuesday that it will launch Pics, a new AI-powered imaging and design app for Google Workspace. The tech giant says it designed the app to be accessible to everyone, from teachers to small business owners.

With Pics, users can generate everything from social media graphics and invitations to marketing materials and mockups using simple text messages, without requiring advanced editing skills or tools. By giving users an easy way to generate images, Google is looking to take on popular design apps like Canva, as well as products from AI-native competitors like Claude Design of Anthropo. Google’s entry into the space indicates that AI-powered design is quickly becoming a core competitive field, with real risks for any business that relies on visual content.

The new app will be released to a group of testers at I/O and will roll out to Google AI Ultra subscribers this summer, Google says.

The company recognizes that although current AI models can generate high-quality images, it is still difficult to modify just part of an image. If you get an image that’s almost perfect but you want to change one small detail, you have to write a completely new message and hope the AI doesn’t mess with it too much. That’s why Pics not only generates images but also makes them easily editable.

Users can enter a message and Pics will generate what they need. Gemini powers the editing layer, making each element of a generated design or image fully adjustable. You can type a new message to make changes, but you can also simply click on the part you want to change and leave a comment, much like leaving comments in Google Docs.

You can also edit directly, without leaving a comment or writing a message. For example, if you create a birthday party invitation and want to change the time that appears on the card, you can do so manually.

Pics is powered by Nano Banana 2, which Google says is a great choice for the app because it supports accurate text rendering, real-world awareness, and detailed visual results. Pics is also natively integrated into Google Workspace, enabling visual collaboration between your apps.

Once you’re happy with your design, you can download it, copy it, print it, or share it with others. You can also pass it on to someone else for a final round of edits before it goes live, Google says.