Google's excellent offline AI app just got even better with three big features

Google’s AI Edge Gallery app allows you to easily download and run AI models on-device, making it handy if you want a more private and versatile AI experience. However, the search giant is bringing even more improvements to the app as part of its I/O developer conference.

For starters, Google announced that AI Edge Gallery on Android now supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) feature. MCP is an open-source protocol that offers a standardized way for on-device AI models to interact with other apps and services. MCP servers can be hosted on a home computer or in the cloud.

So what kind of real-world functionality does MCP bring to the table? Well, the search giant says you could connect AI Edge Gallery to your Workspace MCP so your on-device AI chatbot can check your calendar for events or check your email for bills and ticket info. You can also connect to the Google Maps MCP to ask about nearby points of interest or travel times. Finally, Google says you can connect to a web MCP so your on-device chatbot can access a URL and retrieve news or documentation.

Another major addition to AI Edge Gallery is notification reminder functionality:

If you tell the agent, ‘Remind me to log my mood every night at 10 PM,’ it schedules a local notification. When you tap that notification, the app opens directly to the right tool and starts a session with Gemma 4, ready to help.

In other words, this allows you to create proactive routines that pop up when you need them. Google says you can use this feature to create a “daily nudge” that asks how you’re doing and subsequently tracks your mood and wellness over time. You can also use this feature to effectively create a daily digest in the mornings, giving you insight into your calendar and schedule before you leave the house.

The additions don’t stop here, as Google says AI Edge Gallery now supports persistent chat history. This is understandably very handy, allowing you to quickly resume sessions with your conversation history intact (including generated media).

In any event, we’re glad to see all these features coming to AI Edge Gallery, as it means you’re making fewer compromises in pursuit of a practical yet private on-device AI experience.