Google Workspace is getting a generative AI boost at the same time that many other productivity suites are adding new features that allow users to simplify clerical tasks with just a prompt.
Following up on the visual redesign to Google Docs and the announcement of Google Bard, these new AI features are the company’s latest attempt to bring more buzzy goodness to its most popular applications.
The features that will be available include:
- Draft, reply, summarize, and prioritize your Gmail
- Brainstorm, proofread, write, and rewrite in Docs
- Bring your creative vision to life with auto-generated images, audio, and video in Slides
- Go from raw data to insights and analysis via auto-completion, formula generation, and contextual
- Categorization in Sheets
- Generate new backgrounds and capture notes in Meet
- Enable workflows for getting things done in Chat
Google announced in a blog on Tuesday, its next frontier of AI support, which will span its Workspace suite, with support for Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Meet, and Chat. The host of writing-based features will be available first to a set of English-based testers in the U.S. throughout the year and then made public at a later date.
Much like other AI generators, users will be able to input their prompt within their Workspace, such as Docs and Gmail and the AI will do the rest. Google uses examples including “a busy HR professional who needs to create customized job descriptions, or a parent drafting the invitation for your child’s pirate-themed birthday party.” From there you can edit or add additional prompts for further assistance.
You can also use the “I’m feeling lucky” button in Gmail if you have a decent amount of content but just need help with your tone and style.
Google reiterates that its AI options are meant to be used as assistants and not replacements for human functions. Included within Workspace is the ability to accept, edit, and change any AI-generated content. IT administrators will also have the ability to set the parameters of how Google’s AI options work for their organizations.
Google also noted that it already assists over 3 billion users with AI-driven features, including Smart Compose and Smart Reply for Gmail, a summary generator for Docs, in addition to security and privacy protection against malware and phishing attacks.
Unlike other companies which have collaborated with AI brands such as OpenAI to implement artificial intelligence into its systems, Google is committed to developing its own AI chatbot called Bard. While the system has not yet been released, the brand has recently showcased other AI-focused features, such as client-side encryption for Gmail. Google also told the New York Times in January that it plans to announce more than 20 AI-powered projects throughout 2023.
