Google supercharges Workspace with deeper Gemini integration
Google announced new Gemini-powered AI capabilities for Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive on Tuesday. The features are rolling out in beta and are first available to Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers. The capabilities are available in English worldwide for Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and in the U.S. for Drive.
The update introduces generative AI tools designed to create content using data from a user’s Gmail, Chat, and Drive. This integration aims to allow users to complete tasks within existing applications without switching to separate chatbots or external tools.
In Docs, a “Help me create” tool generates first drafts based on user descriptions and information from connected files. Users can refine specific sections of a document without regenerating the entire draft. A “Match writing style” feature unifies the tone of documents worked on by multiple people.
Docs also includes a “Match the format” tool to mirror the structure of another document. For example, it can replicate a travel itinerary template by pulling flight confirmations and hotel bookings from a user’s email. Gemini can fill in the structure with relevant personal details.
In Sheets, Gemini creates fully formatted spreadsheets from a single prompt by pulling data from Gmail, Chat, and Drive. A “Fill with Gemini” tool populates tables by generating text, summarizing data, or pulling information from Google Search. This allows for automated tracking of details like moving company quotes or college application deadlines.
Slides allows Gemini to generate a fully editable slide that matches the overall theme of a presentation. Users can ask the tool to adjust specific elements, such as matching colors to the rest of the deck. Google stated that future updates will allow Slides to create a complete presentation from a single prompt.
Drive now provides an “AI Overview” at the top of search results, summarizing relevant information from files and citing sources. A new “Ask Gemini in Drive” feature lets users ask complex questions across documents, emails, and calendars. For example, a user can ask for tax filing advice based on specific financial files.