Google releases experimental ‘COSMO’ AI assistant app on Play Store

Source: 9to5Google

Overview

Yesterday, Google published COSMO, an experimental AI assistant application for Android devices, on the Play Store. The app appears to come from Google Research – com.google.research.air.cosmo – but it was released under the company’s main Play Store account.

The listing explains that “COSMO brings the power of artificial intelligence directly onto your device,” with use cases ranging from organizing your day to answering complex questions.

App Details

• Size: 1.13 GB (includes a local Gemini Nano model)
• Permissions: Requests several system permissions after installation.
• Interface: A very basic chat UI that reflects its experimental nature.
• Purpose: Likely a test bed for future experiences rather than a consumer‑ready product.

Skills

COSMO offers a set of “skills” that can be triggered during conversation:

• List Tracker – Automatically suggests lists to keep.
• Document Writer – Offers to create documents, letters, or summaries when you mention needing one.
• Calendar Event Suggester – Proposes to add events to your calendar when you discuss plans and agree on a time.
• Browser Agent – Automates tasks using Mariner.
• Add Timer – Suggests creating a timer in the clock app for time‑bound tasks.
• Deep Research – Offers to perform in‑depth research and generate a full report on complex topics.
• Quick Photo Lookup – Finds a photo you mention so you can share it without interrupting the conversation.
• Google It – Performs a quick web search when you have a question that can be answered online.
• Jargon Definitions – Explains complex jargon or acronyms.
• Provide Insight – Supplies insights and ideas to satisfy curiosity or inform opinions.
• People Understanding – Provides context about people.
• Event Understanding – Provides context about events.
• Recall – Helps you remember things you’re trying to retrieve.
• Conversation Summary – Summarizes recently ended conversations when you change context.

Settings

In the settings page, the Fulfillment Model menu offers three options:

• Hybrid – Uses PI when online and Nano offline.
• PI Only – Uses the server‑based PI model exclusively.
• Nano Only – Uses the local Nano app exclusively.

The exact meaning of “PI” isn’t clarified, but the local option likely refers to the Gemini Nano model.

Additional settings let you configure voice match and screen‑access permissions.

Release Context

The launch appears premature—or possibly accidental—given that Google I/O 2026 is scheduled for later this month. COSMO does not seem intended for general consumer use at this time.