This incredible accessibility tool was coded with help from AI, and you can try it here

Generative AI is everywhere, whether it’s used as a cornerstone of a service, used to build apps, or employed to boost functionality within them. But with so many new products appearing all the time, which ones are worth checking out?

We’re here to help with a new regular series covering the best and freshest AI apps and services that you should know about.

Catch our previous edition of new AI apps and services here!

A vibecoded open source accessibility tool that could improve the lives of many

AI-assisted coding, or vibecoding, gets a generally bad rap in tech circles, since it’s viewed by many as a cheap shortcut for those who know little to nothing about creating a digital experience. I get the sentiment, but isn’t this the point? It enables those who have a great idea to build it in little to no time. I recently stumbled across a project that took full advantage of this to boost one user’s quality of life in spades, and has the potential to improve the lives of many more.

Benny’s Accessibility Hub was built using AI assistance for Ben, a “nonspeaking and quadriplegic with vision challenges,” according to the project’s GitHub page. Ben can only control his personal computing system with two switches on either side of his head. One switch is set to Return, the other Space. The Accessibility Hub is built with this entirely in mind, and despite this limitation, it can offer Ben and other users a breadth of features.

The software is pretty incredible. It allows Ben to communicate using an AI-powered phrase and conversation board that predicts what he might say next. He can also use it to journal, search for and play YouTube videos, run Discord, catch up on news, play a variety of games, and so much more. The project is available for everyone to try on the website linked below, and it’s notable that this range of functionality is accessible with just two controls.

Of course, there are plenty of additional details for those who thrive on technical details. You can meet Ben and watch his brother Ari explain the intricacies of the project in the video above.

Other new AI apps and services you should know about this week

There are plenty of other great new AI apps and services out there, including:

Google Dreambeans

Google is continuing its rapid release of AI-adjacent products with its new Dreambeans app. Initially limited as a Labs experiment, it has graduated to a wider release available for all Android and iOS users in the US.

The app uses Google’s Personal Intelligence to create “stories” about users’ lives and recommendations that might appeal to you. As Google explains on the Dreambeans’ Play Store listing, the app “connects the dots across your Google apps to surface things you’d miss, things you’d love, and help you dive deeper into them.” Users can choose to connect additional Google services to Dreambeans, including Calendar and Photos, to help the service craft more personalized content. “The goal is not to scroll forever; it’s a finite collection of stories designed to spark new ideas and allow you to focus on what matters,” Google continues.

As mentioned, if you’re in the US and use an Android phone or iPhone, you can download Dreambeans from the Play Store right now.

Google Gemini for Windows

Finally, Google recently rolled out a new app for Microsoft Windows users that makes it much easier to access Gemini smarts practically anywhere in the OS. By pressing ALT + Space, users can trigger a dialog with a selection of Google Gemini tools. From here, users can spiff up written content, create images and videos, and more.

Notably, some aspects of the experience will require a Google AI subscription. Just downloading the app doesn’t make features like video editing free. However, for those who still use Windows desktops for work and may want more immediate access to Gemini smarts, downloading the app is a no-brainer.