From now on, Gemini will be able to retrieve and bundle information from various Google applications, helping you overcome blank page syndrome.
Under the banner of ‘Workspace Intelligence’, Google is announcing deeper integrations of Gemini into the Workspace ecosystem. The goal is to translate the concept of Gemini as a personal assistant into a professional environment. Gemini can help you search for information across various Google applications and provide a head start for texts in Docs and spreadsheets.
The system works on three core principles. First, it automatically gathers relevant information from emails, chats, and files. Secondly, Gemini will be aware of your routines and the projects you are working on, ensuring you get the right information exactly when you need it. Thirdly, it also learns your work style. This combination is intended to turn Gemini into a personal work assistant.
Google Chat as a command center
With the new ‘Ask Gemini’ button, you will be able to easily chat with Gemini. The chat app thus becomes a central command center where you give Gemini direct instructions. You set a goal, and Gemini performs tasks without you having to switch between apps. The system can schedule meetings, find files, and even generate documents and presentations.
Don’t use Google Chat? Workspace Intelligence also integrates with external tools such as Asana, Jira, and Salesforce. This means you can find information and perform tasks across your entire professional ecosystem, even outside the Google bubble, without having to leave it.
AI Overviews
Gmail and Drive are getting a fresh AI injection. Google is bringing its not uncontroversial AI-generated search engine summaries to its mail and storage applications. Just as Gemini summarizes search results in Google, it will do so in Gmail for emails and in Drive for files. In Google Drive, you can also chat with Gemini to ask specific questions about your files.
While Gemini should be able to autonomously know where to get the right information, you can make things easier for your AI assistant. Drive is getting a Projects feature where you can centrally manage files and emails related to a specific project. This is not only easy for you or your colleagues to manage projects, but it also helps Gemini get up to speed with a project faster.
In Gmail, the AI integration goes even a step deeper with AI Inbox. We previously wrote that this is a feature that summarizes your emails. For those who receive many emails a day, it can be useful to have an AI clean everything up and summarize which emails you shouldn’t miss. Gemini does this context-aware: it identifies which emails belong together and makes an educated guess as to which ones are most important to you.
Blank page syndrome
Do you freeze up when you see a blank page in Google Docs or Sheets? With Gemini’s help, you no longer have to start from scratch. Gemini in Docs can now generate infographics based on your company data and edit images. In Sheets, you can build entire spreadsheets using natural language. In Slides, you can create full presentations in one go, while respecting your company templates and visual style.
Security and control
Google is putting IT administrators in control to safely roll out Gemini Workspace within the organization. Administrators get controls to manage usage across their organization. Data processing is also being restricted: companies can encrypt their data so it is inaccessible to anyone or anything else. Business Gemini users’ data is not used for AI training, and those who value sovereignty can limit data processing to the EU.
Google is rolling out Workspace Intelligence features gradually, with the United States and the European Union being first in line. Curiously, Germany is not counted as part of the EU by Google, as the rollout in Germany is only planned for a later phase.