![AI generating a custom user interface in real time.](https://aivoyagerimages.blob.core.windows.net/blog-images/ai-generative-ui-illustration.png) ## Generative UI: When AI Builds the Interface for You Imagine asking an AI a question and instead of getting paragraphs of text, you receive a fully working calculator, an interactive game, or a custom dashboard built just for you. That's the promise of generative UI, a new capability that transforms how we interact with artificial intelligence. Traditional AI gives you content: text answers, images, or code snippets. Generative UI gives you complete experiences, designing entire interactive interfaces on the fly in response to any prompt you provide. In this post you'll learn what generative UI is, the problems it solves, real-world use cases, and how you can explore this emerging technology yourself. ## What You'll Learn - **What generative UI is** and how it differs from traditional AI outputs. - **The problems it solves** by creating dynamic experiences instead of static responses. - **How the system works** using a simple three-part architecture. - **Real-world use cases** across education, planning, and creative exploration. - **Why it matters now** and where to learn more through demos and research. ## What Is Generative UI? Generative UI is a capability where an AI model generates not just content, but an entire user experience.[1] Instead of returning text or images, the system designs and codes complete interactive interfaces such as web pages, tools, games, and applications, all customized for your specific prompt. The prompt can be as simple as a single word or as detailed as elaborate instructions. The model interprets your intent and creates a visual, interactive response tailored to your needs.[1] Think of it this way: instead of handing you ingredients and a recipe, the AI serves a complete meal on a custom plate designed just for you. Google Research introduced their implementation of generative UI on November 18, 2025, demonstrating that when generation speed is not a constraint, human raters strongly prefer these dynamic interfaces over standard text outputs.[1] ## The Problem It Solves Most AI interactions today follow a predictable pattern. You type a question, the model returns text or an image, and you read or view it. This works for simple queries but breaks down when you need to explore, interact, or visualize complex information. **Problem 1: Static responses limit exploration** Text answers are passive. If you want to understand probability by rolling dice, adjust variables in a simulation, or explore different scenarios interactively, static text falls short. **Problem 2: Catalog-based limitations** Today, if you need a specialized tool or interface, you search through existing applications. You're limited by what someone else already built. Generative UI removes that constraint, the interface is created dynamically for your exact need. **The solution: Dynamic, tailored interfaces** Instead of reading about fractals, you get an interactive fractal explorer where you can zoom, adjust parameters, and see patterns emerge in real time.[3] Instead of a text description of event planning, you receive a working interface with calendar integration, guest lists, and task tracking. Research using the PAGEN dataset, a collection of human expert-made websites, showed that generative UI outputs were strongly preferred over standard AI text formats, with a preference rate approaching that of human-designed sites.[1] ## How It Works (Simply) Google's generative UI implementation uses Gemini 3 Pro as the foundation, enhanced with three critical components.[1] **1. Tool access** The system connects to external tools like image generation, web search, and code execution. This allows the interface to include rich media, current information, and interactive features beyond what the model alone can provide. **2. Carefully crafted system instructions** The model follows detailed instructions that include the goal, planning steps, examples, and technical specifications. These instructions cover formatting rules, tool usage manuals, and tips for avoiding common errors. This structured guidance ensures consistent, high-quality outputs. **3. Post-processing** After the model generates the interface, a set of post-processors check for potential issues and apply corrections. This quality control step catches common errors before the interface reaches the user. The model outputs HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code that renders directly in your browser, creating a functional web-based interface.[1] **Important note:** Current implementations can take a minute or more to generate results, and occasional inaccuracies still occur. These are active areas of research and improvement.[1] ## Real-World Use Cases Generative UI is useful across many domains. Here are practical examples already demonstrated: ### Education and learning - **Interactive fractal explorer:** Learn about fractals through a visual tool where you can zoom, pan, and adjust mathematical parameters to see patterns emerge.[3] - **RNA transcription simulator:** Understand how RNA polymerase works with an interactive visualization showing transcription stages and differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.[1] - **Probability demonstrations:** Roll virtual dice, flip coins, or explore statistical concepts through hands-on simulations.[3] ### Planning and productivity - **Event planning interfaces:** Create a Thanksgiving dinner plan with integrated shopping lists, recipes, and timeline management.[3] - **Trip itineraries:** Generate custom travel plans with maps, activities, and scheduling tools built into a single interactive interface. ### Creative exploration - **Art galleries with context:** Request "Create a Van Gogh gallery with life context for each piece" and receive a curated digital exhibition with biographical information, historical context, and high-resolution images.[1] - **Fashion advice tools:** Get personalized style recommendations through an interactive interface that considers your preferences, occasion, and wardrobe.[3] ### Customized learning - **Math practice games:** Children can practice basketball-themed math problems through an engaging game interface that adapts to their skill level.[1] - **Science education:** Concepts like the microbiome are explained differently to a 5-year-old versus an adult, with appropriate vocabulary, visuals, and interactive elements for each audience.[1] ## Why It Matters Now Generative UI represents a fundamental shift in how we interact with intelligent systems. Instead of consuming static content, users get creation-on-demand, tools and experiences built in real time for their specific needs. This enables personalization at scale. Every user automatically gets dynamic interfaces tailored to their question, learning style, or task, rather than selecting from an existing catalog of applications.[1] The technology is part of what Google calls the "magic cycle of research," where research breakthroughs lead to product innovation that opens new opportunities for addressing user needs and fuels further research.[1] Generative UI is available now in real products: - **Dynamic view in the Gemini app:** Gemini designs and codes fully customized interactive responses using agentic coding capabilities.[1][4] - **AI Mode in Google Search:** Available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US, offering interactive tools and simulations generated specifically for user questions.[1][5] These implementations bring research into daily use, letting people experience the difference between reading about a concept and interacting with it directly. ## How to Learn More Ready to explore generative UI yourself? Here are practical next steps: **Try the products** - Experiment with dynamic view in the Gemini app to see generative UI in action.[4] - If you're a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscriber in the US, test AI Mode in Google Search by selecting "Thinking" from the model drop-down menu.[1][5] **Note on accessibility:** Current generative UI implementations are primarily visual and interactive. If you use assistive technologies, some demos may have limited accessibility features. Provide feedback to product teams to help improve inclusive design. **Explore demos** Visit the Generative UI project page for interactive examples across education, planning, and creative applications.[3] Examples include fashion advisors, probability explorers, and custom galleries. **Read the research** For technical details and evaluation results, read the full research paper "Generative UI: LLMs are Effective UI Generators" at the project site.[2] **Follow developments** Subscribe to the Google Research Blog for updates as the technology evolves and new capabilities are announced.[1] **Mini-exercise (5 minutes)** Think of a task you do regularly that requires multiple steps or tools, like planning meals, tracking expenses, or learning a new topic. Write one sentence describing what a custom generative UI for that task would look like. What interactive elements would it need? This exercise helps you recognize opportunities where dynamic interfaces could replace static information. ## Conclusion and Next Steps Generative UI transforms prompts into experiences, creating complete interactive interfaces tailored to your specific needs. It solves the limitations of static responses and catalog-based applications by generating dynamic, customized tools on the fly. This is early-stage technology. Generation speed and accuracy are improving, but occasional delays and errors remain. Current implementations require subscriptions and are geographically limited. As you explore generative UI, maintain critical thinking and verify important outputs against trusted sources. The shift from consuming content to creating experiences represents a new chapter in human-computer interaction. Try the available demos, experiment with the products, and see for yourself how prompts become interfaces. **Privacy consideration:** Generative UI systems send your prompts to cloud services to generate interfaces. Review the privacy policies of tools you use to understand how your data is handled. **Related reading on AI Voyager:** - [How AI Works Without the Math](/blog/how-ai-works-without-the-math) - [Prompting 101: How to Talk So AI Listens](/blog/prompting-101) ## References [1] Leviathan, Y., Valevski, D., & Matias, Y. (2025, November 18). Generative UI: A rich, custom, visual interactive user experience for any prompt. Google Research Blog. [2] Generative UI Research Paper [3] Generative UI Project Page [4] Gemini 3 and Gemini App Announcement [5] Google Search AI Mode --- Until then, stay curious and keep exploring. — [André Barnard](/about), AI Explorer

Generative UI: When AI Builds the Interface for You

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