What you need to know
- Mixboard is Google’s new AI mood board app, built to help you brainstorm, remix, and explore ideas visually.
- It’s U.S.-only for now and available through Google Labs as an experimental tool.
- You can start from scratch or use templates, then let AI generate images, layouts, text, and color palettes from your prompts.
- It runs on Google’s Gemini AI plus a new image engine called Nano Banana, which lets you tweak visuals with simple text instructions.
Google has unveiled Mixboard, an innovative AI-driven mood board application that encourages users to brainstorm and remix creative concepts in a dynamic and engaging manner. Currently, this tool is available exclusively in the U.S. through Google Labs, positioning it as an experimental platform for creative exploration.
Mixboard offers users the flexibility to either start with a blank canvas or select from a variety of templates. Once a concept is established, the app employs AI to generate images, layouts, text snippets, and color palettes tailored to the user’s input. This functionality is powered by Google’s Gemini AI model, complemented by a new image editing engine known as Nano Banana. This engine allows for intuitive adjustments to visuals using straightforward text commands, making the creative process more accessible.
In addition to generating fresh content, Mixboard also permits users to upload their own images, which the AI can adapt or expand upon. This feature enhances the app’s utility, transforming it into a tool not just for inspiration but also for remixing existing ideas into new forms.
Google clarifies that Mixboard is not intended to replace established design suites like Photoshop or Canva. Instead, it serves as a brainstorming space, ideal for navigating the often chaotic middle stages of creativity—when ideas are still taking shape and moving toward completion.
As Mixboard enters a competitive landscape dominated by platforms such as Pinterest, Canva, and Adobe’s creative tools, it distinguishes itself by integrating generative AI from the outset. This unique approach transforms Mixboard into a responsive design canvas that adapts to user input in real time, making it particularly inviting for those without formal design training. The AI component significantly lowers the barriers to creating mood boards and initial drafts, democratizing the creative process.
While Mixboard is still a work in progress, its launch signifies Google’s commitment to expanding AI’s role beyond traditional text and search applications. This initiative reflects a broader vision of developing tools that resonate with how individuals brainstorm and visualize their ideas.
