Google DeepMind announced Genie 4 on October 27, 2026, and the demos travelled fast: worlds with sound, characters who talk back, and a text box that changes the weather while you walk around. The short answer to "can I try it?" is not yet, unless you are a trusted tester. This post covers who has access, what the paid route costs, how developers get in, and what you can actually open today. For a full explanation of the model itself, see What is Genie 4?
| Group | Access as of October 28, 2026 | How to get in |
|---|---|---|
| Trusted testers | Yes | Invited by Google |
| Google AI Ultra subscribers | Coming through Project Genie | Subscribe to the tier that includes Project Genie, then watch for the rollout |
| Gemini API / AI Studio developers | Coming for early access partners | Google's early access program |
| Everyone else | No | Join the Project Genie waitlist |
DeepMind's announcement links a Project Genie sign-up form. It costs nothing and is the only route for people who do not already pay for Google AI Ultra. Google has not said how fast it will work through the list.
Project Genie is Google's world-generation web app. You describe a world or upload an image, then explore it in the browser. It has run on Genie 3 since January 29, 2026, with 60-second sessions at 720p and 24 fps, for US users aged 18 and over.
On May 19, 2026, Google split Ultra into two tiers: $100 per month without Project Genie, and $200 per month with it. So the paid route to Genie 4 is the $200 tier. Before paying, check two things on Google's own pages, because Genie 4 has not changed them yet as far as anyone has announced:
Google lists early access partners of the Gemini API and Google AI Studio as a first group for Genie 4. If you build products, apply through Google's early access channels. There is no public model name, endpoint or price list for Genie 4 yet, so do not plan a launch around it.
Based on DeepMind's announcement and model page:
If you want to feel generation that reacts to you right now, three options need no invitation:
Odyssey-3 (worlds, free preview). The closest thing to Genie 4 that anyone can open. Odyssey's browser preview generates a world from your prompt and lets you walk or drive through it. Details: What is Odyssey-3?
Project Genie on Genie 3 (worlds, paid). If you already have the $200 Ultra tier in the US, you can use Genie 3 today and get the upgrade when it reaches you. Background: What is Genie 3?
LiveGen (your own camera, free to start). A different kind of real-time AI: instead of inventing a world, it transforms your live webcam in the browser. Restyle the whole frame, swap your outfit, or bring a character into your room, and see it change as you move. Try a prompt in Freestyle or start from Style Morph. LiveGen is our product and does not run Genie 4.
For every real-time model release in one table, with access rules, see the 2026 real-time AI video and world model tracker.
No. Genie 4 has no free tier. The free step is joining the Project Genie waitlist. For a free real-time world model, try Odyssey-3's browser preview.
Google has not priced Genie 4 itself. Consumer access is planned through Project Genie, which is included in the $200 per month Google AI Ultra tier.
Google has not given a date. The stated order is trusted testers first, then Google AI Ultra subscribers in Project Genie and Gemini API early access partners.
Not yet for most subscribers. As of October 28, 2026, Project Genie runs Genie 3, and the Genie 4 rollout to Ultra subscribers is described as coming in the next few weeks.
Not publicly. Gemini API and Google AI Studio early access partners are in the first group, and no public endpoint or price has been published.
Google has not said. Project Genie launched for US users aged 18 and over.
Odyssey-3 for a free explorable world in the browser, Project Genie on Genie 3 if you have the right Ultra tier, and LiveGen if you want real-time AI on your own webcam.
Open your camera and play any character live — free to start.
Start generating free