Yesterday Anthropic got a bunch of buzz out of their new window.claude.complete() API which allows Claude Artifacts to run their own API calls to execute prompts.
It turns out Gemini had beaten them to that feature by over a month, but the announcement was tucked away in a bullet point of their release notes for the 20th of May:
Vibe coding apps in Canvas just got better too! With just a few prompts, you can now build fully functional personalised apps in Canvas that can use Gemini-powered features, save data between sessions and share data between multiple users.
Ethan Mollick has been building some neat demos on top of Gemini Canvas, including this text adventure starship bridge simulator.
Similar to Claude Artifacts, Gemini Canvas detects if the application uses APIs that require authentication (to run prompts, for example) and requests the user sign in with their Google account:
![Futuristic sci-fi interface screenshot showing "Helm Control" at top with navigation buttons for Helm, Comms, Science, Tactical, Engineering, and Operations, displaying red error message "[SYSTEM_ERROR] Connection to AI core failed: API error: 403. This may be an authentication issue." with command input field showing "Enter command..." and Send button, plus Google Account sign-in notification at bottom stating "You need to sign in with your Google Account to see some features" with Sign in button and X close icon](https://static.simonwillison.net/static/2025/gemini-auth.jpg)
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