Google Expands Gemini AI Across Workspace and Consumer Apps

Google has announced a broad expansion of its Gemini AI capabilities, introducing new organizational tools, productivity features, and integrations across its Workspace suite and consumer applications.

The updates include a new "notebooks" feature for the Gemini chatbot, expanded AI functionality in Gmail, Google Meet, Docs, Sheets, and Drive, as well as the integration of the NotebookLM research tool directly into the Gemini app.

Gemini "Notebooks" Feature

Functionality and Purpose

Google is introducing a new feature called "notebooks" for its Gemini AI chatbot. The feature provides a dedicated space for users to organize files, conversations, and research related to specific topics or projects.

Users can add sources to notebooks, including:

• Files from their computer or Google Drive
• Website links
• Imported text
• Previous Gemini conversations

When a user interacts with Gemini within a notebook, the AI can reference all added sources as contextual information.

Cross-Platform Integration

Google describes notebooks as "personal knowledge bases shared across Google products, starting in Gemini." The feature is synchronized with Google's NotebookLM AI research tool, meaning sources added in one application will be accessible in the other. This integration allows users to leverage NotebookLM features such as Video Overviews and Infographics within the notebook environment.

Availability and Access Limits

The notebooks feature is rolling out on the web for Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers. It is not available for Workspace or Education accounts, or for users under 18. Mobile and free user availability will follow in the coming weeks.

Access limits by subscription tier:

NotebookLM Integration into Gemini

Google has fully integrated its AI-powered research tool, NotebookLM, into the Gemini application. Users can now create notebooks directly within the Gemini chatbot via an option in the side panel.

Sources NotebookLM can process include:

• PDFs and documents
• Website URLs
• YouTube videos
• Copied text

The tool creates a searchable repository of information from these sources and can generate outputs such as reviewers, infographics, and video or audio overviews.

Google includes a disclaimer within the NotebookLM interface advising users that the tool "can be inaccurate" and recommending verification of information.

The integration is rolling out this week for Google AI Ultra, Pro, and Plus subscribers on the web, with mobile availability, additional regions, and free user access planned for the coming weeks.

Gmail Updates

AI Inbox

Google has introduced a new "AI Inbox" view for Gmail, currently in beta testing for "trusted testers" on consumer Gmail accounts only. The feature replaces the traditional email list with AI-generated to-do lists and topics derived from inbox content. Suggested tasks are linked to the relevant emails, and the system can pull in archived conversations not in the main inbox.

Google acknowledges its AI models "can make mistakes" when processing inbox information. The company stated that information processed by AI tools within inboxes will not be used to train its foundational AI models.

Planned enhancements include:

• A mechanism to mark items as completed
• Quick-reply buttons and AI-drafted replies
• Integration with Google Calendar
• Ability for users to instruct the system to monitor emails from specific contacts

Gemini Side Panel Discontinuation

Google has discontinued the Gemini side panel for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States on the web version of personal Gmail accounts. The company stated the change aims to simplify AI usage directly within Gmail.

Previously available functionalities—including summarizing email threads, suggesting responses, drafting emails, locating information, and accessing Calendar events—are now integrated into new "in-line AI experiences." The "Help Me Write" feature remains unchanged, while "Proofread" has been updated, "Suggested Replies" now incorporate thread context, and "AI Overviews" can summarize longer threads. The Gemini side panel remains available on Android and for Google Workspace plans.

Expanded Gemini Features

Google has made several Gemini features previously exclusive to paying subscribers available to all Gmail users, including the "Help Me Write" tool and AI Overviews for email threads. Subscribers to Google's Ultra and Pro plans receive additional features: an AI proofreading tool for grammar and style suggestions, and comprehensive AI Overviews that search the entire inbox for relevant summaries on specific topics.

Future Vision

Google has described exploratory visions for Gmail's evolution into a proactive AI assistant. The concept involves developing a "relationship-aware" inbox that interprets identity, history, and intent within messages. Future possibilities include allowing users to interact conversationally with the app to set priorities, surface important messages, cluster related emails, and draft replies. Google acknowledged significant challenges in developing such a system, including ensuring trustworthiness, explainability, and allowing users to undo actions.

These are forward-looking ideas and not current product commitments.

Google Meet Updates

Google's "Take Notes for Me" feature has been expanded. Previously available only for Google Meet sessions, it now supports in-person meetings and meetings conducted on Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

The feature uses Gemini to generate transcripts, meeting summaries, and action items in Google Docs. In-person meeting support was previously available only to alpha users on Android devices. Users can access the feature through the Google Meet homescreen on mobile apps or desktop.

Over 110 million attendees used the feature in the last month, representing 8.5 times year-over-year growth.

Google Workspace Updates

Google Docs

New AI-powered features, powered by "Workspace Intelligence," include:

• Help me create: Generates initial drafts based on user instructions and information from Gmail, Chat, and Drive
• Help me write: Suggests edits requiring user approval, and can improve clarity or add details
• Match writing style: Adjusts writing style for consistency across multiple contributors
• Match doc format: Applies formatting from an existing document to a new one, filling it with user-specific details

Google Sheets

New features include:

• Automated spreadsheet creation: Users describe the desired spreadsheet, and Sheets generates it, including populating data from Gmail, Chat, and Drive
• Fill with Gemini: Populates tables by generating custom text, categorizing and summarizing data, or pulling real-time information from Google Search
• Canvas: Enables creation of dashboards, heat maps, kanban boards, and other interactive visualizations that can be shared

Google Slides

New features include:

• Generating editable slides that match an overall theme, drawing context from user files, emails, and the web
• Adjusting slide elements with prompts
• A future capability to create complete presentations from a single prompt

Google Drive

New features include:

• AI Overviews: Surfaces summaries of the most relevant information at the top of search results, citing sources
• Projects: A new feature to help organize files and emails, appearing in the side panel under "Home"
• Ask Gemini in Drive: Enables complex questions across documents, emails, calendar, and the web, providing detailed answers based on user data

Additional Workspace Features

Workspace Intelligence

Google introduced "Workspace Intelligence," a new AI system integrated into its office suite designed to automate assistance across tasks. The system uses data from a user's Workspace applications, including Gmail, Calendar, Chat, and Drive. Users can control which data sources the AI can access and disable access at any time.

Workspace Studio

The platform is adding "skills" for common tasks, available from any Gemini in Workspace chat. For example, a skill can be created to automate invoice reviews by comparing new invoices against stored ones to identify discrepancies.

Chrome Enterprise

Workspace customers can now use an "agentic auto browse" feature for multi-step tasks on the web.

Integration Tools

Google has made a new Workspace MCP Server available, allowing third-party apps to synthesize Drive documents, draft Gmail responses, and manage Calendar and Chat logic. An official Workspace CLI is also coming soon to help developers manage these integrations.

Gemini App File Export and Personalization

The Gemini app now allows users to generate downloadable files in multiple formats, including:

• Google Workspace formats (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
• PDF, DOCX, XLSX, CSV
• LaTeX, TXT, RTF, and MD

This feature is available globally to all Gemini app users.

Additionally, personalization features are coming to the UK, including "Memories," where Gemini retains user-provided preferences, and the ability to import chats from other AI apps. These features are expected to roll out fully within the next two weeks.

Availability and Background

Google announced these updates at its Cloud Next '26 event. The new features are rolling out over the coming weeks, with many Workspace features moving from beta to general availability.

They are available to Workspace accounts and users on Google AI Ultra and AI Pro plans. There is no current plan for free Gemini users to access some of the Workspace-specific features.

Google's office products are widely used in workplaces. Other companies, including Microsoft, Apple, and various startups, also compete in the market for office productivity tools.