Google briefly publishes experimental AI app COSMO on Play Store

Saturday 02 - 08:44

By: Dakir Madiha

Google briefly publishes experimental AI app COSMO on Play Store

Google quietly launched an experimental AI assistant app called COSMO on the Play Store this week before pulling it down shortly after. The release appears accidental ahead of the company's I/O developers conference later this month. The app, package name com.google.research.air.cosmo, runs locally on Android devices using Gemini Nano.

COSMO operates in three modes: local Gemini Nano, a remote server dubbed "PI," or a hybrid that switches based on availability. It includes tools like a list manager, document writer, calendar event suggester, deep search, and quick photo search. The app taps Android's AccessibilityService API to access the user's screen, though this feature remains incomplete. At 1.13 GB, it positions as an on-device agent capable of background tasks.

Reddit users spotted the listing, which vanished within hours. Screenshots showed poor formatting, signaling a premature push. The timing aligns with Google I/O 2026 on May 19-20 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. The event agenda covers Gemini model updates, agentic coding tools, and Android 17 previews.

Early testers describe COSMO as rough compared to the full Gemini app. It can listen to conversations offline and browse the web autonomously, raising privacy concerns among users. Those who sideloaded it retain access, but no updates arrive until Google acts, likely at I/O.