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AI is coming to Google Workspace, too
Google is planning to incorporate AI into its Workspace suite, enabling it to act as a “collaborative partner” to assist users with their work. Johanna Voolich Wright, Google Workspace’s Vice President of Product, announced in a blog post on March 14 that AI will be integrated into Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Chat. The AI tools will help with tasks such as brainstorming, proofreading, and writing and rewriting content. The AI will also enable workflows for productivity in Chat. Google’s example states that users can ask Docs to help them write a job listing, and the AI will auto-generate a job description with responsibilities and necessary qualifications.
Google’s upcoming AI integration emphasizes the importance of human feedback and collaboration to improve the technology. Wright explained that the integrations are currently being tested by Google’s “trusted testers” in the U.S. and that they will be refined and iterated upon before being made available to more users across various countries and languages.
Google’s Workspace AI integration announcement came on the same day that OpenAI launched GPT-4 and Microsoft opened its Bing AI search capabilities to the public. Microsoft also unveiled Copilot, an AI assistant for the Office 365 suite on March 16. These announcements come amidst increased calls for AI regulation and discussions around the technology’s kinks, which some developers believe will be worked out with increased use.
Google Workspace is already incorporating AI features to enhance productivity and collaboration among its users. Some examples of AI-powered features in Google Workspace include:
- Smart Compose: AI helps users to write emails faster by suggesting complete sentences and phrases as they type.
- Smart Reply: AI-generated short responses that can be used as a quick reply to an email or a chat message.
- Grammar Suggestions: AI-powered grammar checks in Google Docs help users to identify and correct grammar errors in real-time.
- Explore: AI-powered tool that helps users to research information and create presentations in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
- Priority: AI-powered tool that helps users to prioritize emails in their inbox based on their relevance and importance.
Overall, the integration of AI into Google Workspace aims to streamline workflows, save time, and improve collaboration between users.
However Google Workspace, which includes popular tools like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Docs, is a suite of productivity and collaboration tools that is widely used in the business world. By bringing AI capabilities to Workspace, Google is seeking to enhance the user experience and make the tools even more useful.
Some examples of how AI could be integrated into Workspace include:
1. Smart email sorting and prioritization:
AI could help identify the most important emails and sort them accordingly, making it easier for users to stay on top of their inbox.
2. Automated language translation:
With AI-powered language translation, users could communicate more easily with colleagues and partners who speak different languages.
3. Smart suggestions in documents:
As users type in Google Docs, AI could suggest edits, provide grammar and spelling suggestions, and even offer to autocomplete sentences.
4. Natural language search:
By using natural language processing, Google could make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for in Drive or other Workspace tools.
Overall, the integration of AI into Google Workspace has the potential to make these tools even more powerful and useful for businesses and individuals alike.