By expanding into 15 new countries, Google is bringing its AI-powered vibe-coding tool, Opal, to a wider global audience. With Opal, anyone can build small web apps simply by describing what they want in plain language. The AI app builder, first launched in the U.S. earlier this year, makes app creation feel as natural as chatting with a friend. However, Africa is notably missing from the rollout list despite the continent’s growing tech ecosystem.
The new countries gaining access include Canada, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, Singapore, Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Argentina, and Pakistan. This expansion underscores Google’s ambition to make app creation as easy as sending a message—a move that could redefine accessibility for creators and small businesses worldwide.
Opal turns simple text descriptions into fully functional web applications. For example, typing “create a booking tool for managing meeting rooms” prompts Opal to generate a working prototype within seconds. Users can then open a visual workflow editor to see exactly how the app functions, with clear boxes representing inputs, outputs, and processes. Everything can be customized, reorganized, or enhanced—without writing a single line of code. Once completed, the app can be shared online with just a Google account link.
According to Megan Li, Senior Product Manager at Google Labs, early U.S. users showed more creativity than expected. “We initially thought people would make fun, lightweight tools,” she said, “but instead we saw a surge of sophisticated, practical, and highly creative Opal apps.” This unexpected response, she added, inspired Google to bring Opal to more creators around the world.
The global rollout also comes with key upgrades. A major improvement focuses on debugging, allowing users to test apps step-by-step in the visual editor and pinpoint issues more easily. Despite becoming more capable, Google emphasizes that Opal remains a no-code environment. Performance has also been enhanced—users can now run multiple processes in parallel and generate new apps in just one second, making complex workflows faster and more efficient.
The Google Opal AI app builder isn’t just for developers. Educators can use it to create interactive learning tools, small business owners can build booking or invoicing systems, and startups can quickly prototype ideas without hiring developers. Integration with Google Workspace—including Sheets, Drive, and Gmail—makes it even more convenient for teams already in the Google ecosystem.
Still, one gap stands out: Africa’s exclusion. Despite being home to a fast-growing community of innovators and digital entrepreneurs, no African country made the cut in this expansion. For regions like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, where no-code and AI tools could fuel new business creation, the omission is disappointing. Google has not provided a timeline for Opal’s African release, though many hope the next wave will include the continent.
With Opal, Google is betting on a future where coding feels conversational. The AI-driven app builder transforms ideas into real applications using nothing but words—opening a new chapter in how people create, share, and innovate online.
