Google is taking another bold swing at reimagining how we use the web, and its newest experiment might be the closest thing yet to a true AI-native browser. The company today introduced GenTabs, an AI-driven tool built into Disco, a new Google Labs experience now launching with a waitlist for early testers.
At its core, GenTabs tries to solve a problem everyone knows too well: the endless tab overload that spirals out of control the moment you start researching anything. Trip planning? Ten tabs. Meal prep? Fifteen. School project? Twenty. It’s a universal digital headache — and Google wants to fix it.
A Browser That Actually Understands What You’re Doing
Unlike traditional tab managers or extensions, GenTabs doesn’t ask you to organize anything. Instead, it reads the context of your open tabs and chat history, recognizes the task you’re trying to accomplish, and auto-builds interactive mini-apps to help you finish it faster.
You can ask it for a trip planner, a recipe organizer, a comparison chart — whatever the task calls for — and GenTabs generates it on the fly. No code, no dragging widgets, no setup. Just describe what you need, refine it in plain English, and watch the workspace adapt.
Crucially, every AI-generated panel stays linked to original web sources. Google is framing this as a way to keep transparency intact while still giving users a smarter, more structured way to browse.
Early Testers Are Already Stress-Testing the System
In early access, testers have been creating all kinds of lightweight tools: grocery planners, multi-city travel guides, classroom learning dashboards, even quick research summaries stitched together from scattered tabs. The point isn’t to replace dedicated apps — it’s to make the web itself feel more intelligent, flexible, and personalized.
Google believes GenTabs can become the “missing layer” between browsing and productivity, turning the browser into an active collaborator instead of a passive window.
Why GenTabs Lives Inside Disco
Disco isn’t a new browser, at least not yet. It’s a testing ground — an experimental space where Google Labs can ship bold ideas without reshaping Chrome overnight. Starting with macOS, Google is rolling out access slowly, using a waitlist to control the pace of feedback.
That feedback will shape what comes next: which features stay, what gets removed, and what might eventually graduate into mainstream Google products.
The company is unusually clear about this: not everything will work perfectly. Disco is early, experimental, and intentionally a bit rough around the edges. Google wants testers who are willing to push limits, break features, and help define where this AI-native browsing experience should go.
The Bigger Shift Behind the Release
Google’s move hints at a much larger shift. The browser — the foundation of modern computing — has barely changed in two decades. Tabs multiplied. Extensions helped. But the core interaction stayed the same.
GenTabs signals a different philosophy. Instead of users bending to the limits of the browser, the browser bends to the user’s workflow. It recognizes intent. It organizes information. It builds custom tools. It closes the gap between search, planning, and action.
If Disco succeeds, this could become a model for what AI-driven browsing looks like over the next decade.
Want In? The Waitlist Is Live
Google has opened a waitlist to download Disco and try GenTabs, starting with macOS users. Slots are limited, and early feedback will directly influence what features move forward.
One thing is certain: if GenTabs delivers on its promise, this won’t be just another Google Labs experiment. It could be the first real step toward a web that feels alive, adaptive, and built around how people actually think.