Google Workspace apps are about to get what seems to be the most significant update since their launch: generative AI integration.

Given the explosive popularity of generative AI apps like OpenAI's ChatGPT, it's clearer than ever that people are ready to adopt the technology. And perhaps the best place to start using it on a broader scale is inside productivity apps.

Let's see how Google's integration of generative AI in its Workspace apps will help you at work.

Google Workspace Integrates Generative AI

We know that Google Workspace is a suite of productivity apps, including Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Meet, Chat, and more. These apps have improved and become more useful with new features and optimizations, but nothing we'd call revolutionary.

Luckily, that will change soon as Google announced it's working to "incorporate AI as a collaborative partner" that helps you "create, connect, and collaborate like never before." So if you use Google Workspace apps regularly, this update can be tremendously beneficial.

Generative AI in Gmail and Google Docs

You'll first notice Google's generative AI capabilities via Google Docs and Gmail, similar to what you can do with ChatGPT. In Docs, for example, you can ask the AI assistant to help you write job descriptions, resumes, cover letters, invitations, itineraries, video scripts, product descriptions, web copies, articles, essays, and more.

You can also use it to brainstorm ideas, proofread text, rewrite certain parts that need revision, and even prepare a full project brief based on an email conversation.

In Gmail, you can ask the assistant to create a conversation summary of your email thread, highlighting the critical things said by each coworker. You can also use it to write email drafts, elaborate or shorten them, convert them into bulleted lists, or change the tonality to sound more formal or informal.

Of course, you will still need to manually edit and personalize the results you get from the AI assistant so they are best suited for your specific goals and preferences.

The AI assistant is only meant to "help people get started writing" and create first drafts, not finished pieces of content. And while we're on the subject, it's a good idea to remind yourself of AI's limitations and things you shouldn't ask AI chatbots in the first place.

Generative AI in Google Slides, Sheets, and Meet

Google's generative AI is also coming to Slides, Sheets, and Meet. Let's start with Slides. If your job requires you to create PPT presentations, you can ask the AI assistant to make the first draft with a custom template.

More importantly, you can create auto-generated images, audio, and video clips based on your text prompts to add flair to your presentations.

In Sheets, you can "go from raw data to insights and analysis via auto-completion, formula generation, and contextual categorization" to better interpret and make sense of the data.

In Meet, you can ask the assistant to note the meeting minutes, generate new backgrounds, and check off action items in real time as your team members review each point. In Chat, you can "enable workflows for getting things done"—whatever that means.

When Will Google's Generative AI Roll Out?

These new generative AI features in Google Workspace apps are currently being tested and not available publicly yet, but you can expect them to start rolling out towards the end of this year. Right now, Google is trying them out with groups of trusted testers. Once widely available, they will unlock various new ways to increase productivity.

Remember, these generative AI tools are not a replacement for human labor but are made to complement it, so you can get your work done faster and save time.