Google Opens Its AI Platforms to Outside Apps With New Developer Tools

Google is inviting businesses and developers to plug their own apps into Search and Gemini through a new Connected Apps Platform.

Connected apps, introduced in both products earlier this year, let users link third-party services and then use them to get things done - designing a flyer in Canva or building a playlist in YouTube Music, for example.

The platform is in beta for U.S. developers, who can build and submit apps for use across Google's products. Developers integrate with a cloud-hosted MCP server or Android MCP using AppFunctions APIs, then register, test and submit their app via the Google Connected Console. They can choose whether an app appears in Search, the Gemini app, or both, and afterward track traffic, latency and error rates while keeping control of their branding.

Google already offers more than 50 connected apps in Gemini, including ones from Adobe, Experian, Localiza and Peloton, alongside its own services. These will reach Search over the coming weeks, where integrations currently include Instacart, Canva, YouTube Music and Yahoo Fantasy Football. Meditation app Calm is a new partner and will launch on both Gemini and Search soon.

The preview is open to U.S. developers on a waitlist; Google did not say when it would be more widely available.