Revolutionizing Productivity: Google Unveils Powerful Generative AI Features for Workspace Apps

Google is set to release a suite of generative AI features for its Workspace apps, including Google Docs, Gmail, Sheets, and Slides. These new tools will allow users to generate, summarize, and brainstorm text with the help of AI in Google Docs. In Gmail, users will be able to generate full emails based on brief bullet points, while Slides will feature AI-generated imagery, audio, and video to enhance presentations. Google’s announcement comes as the tech giant aims to catch up with its competitors in the AI race, following the arrival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s chatbot-enabled Bing.

The new AI features reflect Google’s determination to keep pace with the competition in the ever-evolving field of AI. The company has been under intense pressure since December 2022, when senior management declared a “code red” and instructed staff to add AI tools to all user products in just a few months. In an effort to keep up, Google has opened up a group of “trusted testers” to access AI writing tools in Docs and Gmail, as well as rolling out access to its ChatGPT rival, Bard.

Google’s upcoming features for its Workspace apps will allow users to draft, reply, summarize, and prioritize their Gmail, brainstorm, proofread, write, and rewrite in Docs, generate new backgrounds and capture notes in Meet. Furthermore, they will be able to enable workflows for getting things done in Chat and go from raw data to insights and analysis via auto-completion, formula generation, and contextual categorization in Sheets.

The AI writing and brainstorming tools in Docs and Gmail are considered to be the most potentially useful of the upcoming features. For instance, in a demo, a user is shown the prompt “Help me write” and then enters a request, such as “Job post for a regional sales rep”. The AI system then completes the job spec for them in seconds, allowing them to edit and refine the text. This feature will also let users rewrite the text or expand it using AI tools. In another demo, Google shows AI being used to write personalized marketing messages for clients, turning bullet points into a full email, and summarizing the contents of a long email chain in Gmail.

It is worth noting that Microsoft is rumoured to be developing similar features for its Office suite of apps, including Word, Teams, and Outlook. With AI-assisted search becoming the new paradigm in search engines, CEO Satya Nadella believes that AI could unseat Google from its throne. The two companies will also compete in the world of productivity software, as Microsoft has scheduled an event to detail its plans for “the future of work with AI”.

As the rush to launch AI products gains momentum, there are concerns about the technology's reliability. AI text-generating programs are notoriously unreliable, and they can sometimes present false information with unwavering confidence. Additionally, they can reproduce racial and gender biases present in their training data. As Google integrates this technology into its enterprise software, these issues could cause significant problems. In its press release, Google acknowledges that sometimes the AI gets things wrong and requires guidance. However, users may not see the funny side of an "offbeat" AI that costs them money.

In conclusion, Google’s upcoming suite of AI-powered features for its Workspace apps aims to keep the tech giant competitive in the ever-evolving field of AI. The new features are expected to make it easier for users to draft, write, and summarize text, as well as create more polished and engaging presentations. However, with the rush to launch AI products, there are concerns about the reliability of these new tools. While Google has assured users that its AI writing tools may require guidance, they may not be as forgiving if the AI generates false information or content that costs

Here is the new video google published about the features to be expected, make sure to check it out on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DaJVZBXETE&t=1s&ab_channel=GoogleWorkspace