How to Use GenTabs in Google Disco — Step by Step

Quick start (2 minutes)

1. Get access: join the official Disco/GenTabs waitlist.
2. Open tabs: start with **5–12** high-quality sources.
3. Set a goal: ask for a plan / matrix / memo (not “summarize”).
4. Force structure + citations: require tables + source links.
5. Iterate: 2–4 follow-ups to refine.

Last updated: 2026-01-02

1) How to get access to Google Disco / GenTabs

GenTabs currently lives inside Disco, an early-stage Google Labs preview.

Official links

• Disco home: https://labs.google/disco/
• Waitlist form (direct): https://forms.gle/Bi7PGQ6tA5aQcnVU7

What the waitlist currently requires (important)

As stated in the official waitlist form (subject to change):

• 18+
• Program currently limited to US-based testers
• You need a consumer Google Account (e.g., one ending in @gmail.com)
• If selected, you may need to sign an NDA

Privacy / data processing notice (read before testing)

The official form notes that while using Disco, your activity — including AI chats and browsing activity (including the contents of pages you visited) — may be sent to Google and logged. Data may be accessed by human reviewers and used to improve Google AI.

Practical guidance:

• Do not enter confidential information.
• Avoid using Disco on sensitive websites (banking/health/internal work portals).

Data retention / removal requests

The form states your data may be recorded for 2 years, and removal/deletion requests can be sent to:

• google-disco@google.com

Platform availability

Google’s announcement notes the waitlist lets selected users download Disco on macOS and try GenTabs, which is built with Gemini 3 (availability may expand).

2) How to use GenTabs inside Disco (the workflow)

The most useful formula:

Tabs (sources) + Goal (task) → Structured outcome

Step A — Build a strong source set

Start with 5–12 tabs that include:

• primary sources (official docs)
• independent views (reviews/comparisons)
• practical pages (maps/pricing/product pages)

Step B — Write a goal that implies an output

Bad: “Summarize these tabs.”

Better:

• “Create a 3-day itinerary with realistic timing and backup options.”
• “Compare 3 tools and recommend one with tradeoffs and risks.”
• “Turn this research into a brief with claims, evidence, and open questions.”

Step C — Force structure + citations

Ask for:

1. Source Map table
2. Claim–Evidence table (every key claim links back to a tab)
3. Final artifact (plan / matrix / memo)
4. Uncertainties + next steps

Copy-paste starter prompt

Use ONLY the open tabs as sources. If a claim has no supporting tab, mark it "uncertain" or omit it.

GOAL:
Create a decision-ready output for: {your goal}

OUTPUT (in this exact order):
1) Source Map (table)
2) Claims & Evidence (table)
3) Final Artifact (plan/comparison/memo)
4) Uncertainties & Next Steps

RULES:
- Link every key claim back to a source tab.
- Highlight contradictions explicitly.

Step D — Iterate with follow-ups

• “Add constraints: budget/time/preferences.”
• “Generate 2 alternatives and explain tradeoffs.”
• “Turn this into a checklist with owners and timeline.”
• “Rewrite as a 1-page memo I can send.”

3) How to use Gentabs AI

Gentabs AI makes GenTabs-style workflows repeatable.

What you can do on Gentabs AI

• Prompt Packs: copy-paste master prompts + follow-ups
• Use cases: official patterns + expanded workflows
• Guides: best practices for structure, citations, and reliability
• Updates: track Disco/GenTabs changes + our Disco-inspired LLM prototype (in progress)

Two ways to use our prompt packs

1. Inside Disco/GenTabs: open relevant tabs → choose a pack → run the master prompt → iterate.
2. Outside Disco: paste the pack into ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini and manually provide sources (links/excerpts).