Surprise, Google Workspace is adding more AI tools to Docs, Sheets, Chat and other apps
In an incredibly shocking turn of events, more generative AI features are coming to the Google Workspace suite of productivity apps by way of Gemini. Docs, Sheets, Chat, Meet and newcomer Vids are among the tools that are getting new AI capabilities that perhaps some folks will find useful.
Google is taking a cue from audio overviews in NotebookLM to bring new Gemini-powered audio features to Docs. You'll soon have the option of listening to full audio versions of your documents or just the highlights in what Google calls a podcast-style overview. Those enrolled in the Workspace alpha testing program can start trying out these audio features in the coming weeks.
By the end of June, alpha testers will have access to an AI writing coach of sorts. The "help me refine" feature is said to offer suggestions on bolstering an argument, ensuring consistent formatting, enhancing the structure of the text and clarifying key points.
A similar feature is coming to Sheets later this year. The "help me analyze" tool will seemingly point out trends you might have overlooked, offer pointers on where to dig deeper for more insights and whip up charts to visualize the data.
In Meet, you'll soon be able to ask Gemini to recap parts of a meeting you missed because you were running late, clarify certain decisions or topics, generate a recap in the format of your choice and help refine a point before you raise a virtual arm to join the conversation. This so-called "personal in-meeting advisor" will be generally available in Meet before the end of June.
As for Chat, Google will soon offer the option to mention @gemini in a conversation to receive a summary that includes open questions, important decisions that were made and lays out next steps. It could be a useful way to distill everything that happened in a bustling group chat. This capability will be available through the Labs early-access program in the coming weeks.
In Vids, you'll soon be able to generate what Google says are "high-quality, original" clips using the Veo 2 model (perhaps ignoring the fact that generative video AI models mash together footage that they were trained on and arguably don't create anything truly original at all). Workspace alpha can get their hands on this in the coming weeks.
Elsewhere, there's another new feature called Google Workspace Flows. Google bills this as "a brand-new way to automate and orchestrate work across your apps, powered by AI." It employs Gems, customizable AI agents that can be created with Gemini, to take care of specialized tasks, such as researching, analyzing and generating content.
The company says that Workspace Flows can, for instance, address a customer support ticket by analyzing the issue, researching a solution and drafting a reply that the support team can review before sending. Gems can mine your Google Drive files for context. Google's also working with third-party partners to integrate Workspace Flows into their apps and tools. Google is now rolling out Workspace Flows in the alpha program.
Lastly, as of today, Google will allow Workspace users to choose where Gemini processes their data. So if you're in the European Union and don't want your data to travel to the US (or vice versa), that's now an option. Google makes it clear that this is to help comply with regulations such as the EU's GDPR.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/surprise-google-workspace-is-adding-more-ai-tools-to-docs-sheets-chat-and-other-apps-143644125.html?src=rss
