Google has been racing to catch up with OpenAI ever since the launch of ChatGPT disrupted the generative AI landscape. After a lackluster debut of Bard AI, which notably misquoted basic statistics about the James Webb Space Telescope, the company has shifted its strategy. They are now integrating AI features across their entire suite of products, reminiscent of the Google+ era when social features were added.
These enhancements will be available in nearly all Google Workspace applications. Users can look forward to capabilities such as drafting, replying, summarizing, and prioritizing emails; brainstorming, proofreading, writing, and rewriting text documents; auto-generating images and videos with Slides; creating formulas in Sheets autonomously; automating transcription notes in Meet; and streamlining workflows in Chat.
For instance, in Google Docs, users can simply enter the subject of their task to prompt the AI to generate relevant content. The “Rewrite” function allows the system to improve existing drafts, even if they begin as simple bullet points. A new "I’m feeling lucky" feature in Gmail is also set to enhance the user experience.
In response to previous missteps, Google is dedicated to ensuring its AI tools enhance, rather than replace, human creativity. "AI is no replacement for the ingenuity, creativity, and smarts of real people," stated Johanna Voolich Wright, VP of Product at Google Workspace. "Sometimes the AI gets things wrong, sometimes it delights you with something unexpected, and oftentimes it requires guidance." These new AI features will comply with Google’s AI Principles, ensuring a responsible approach to AI integration.
The revamped AI-enabled Google Workspace is expected to be available to English-speaking users in the U.S. by the end of the month, with additional languages and regions to follow soon.