Google Adds AI-Powered Writing Features to Gmail, Docs

pcmag.com:

Hot on the heels of Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides getting a new look, Google this week began testing a new set of AI-powered writing features for its Workspace apps.

Planned to roll out throughout the rest of this year, Google is taking advantage of generative AI to make creating content easier and in some cases completely automatic, beginning with Docs and Gmail.

"Whether you're a busy HR professional who needs to create customized job descriptions, or a parent drafting the invitation for your child's pirate-themed birthday party, Workspace saves you the time and effort of writing that first version," Johanna Voolich Wright, VP of product for Google Workspace, wrote in a blog announcement(Opens in a new window).

Voolich is quick to point out that artificial intelligence "is no replacement for the ingenuity, creativity, and smarts of real people," but it certainly doesn't hurt to have a few suggestions and a starting point when writing a document.

For Gmail, the suggestions will be a little different. The emphasis is more on striking the right tone based on the type of email being written, and the new AI features can help with that. Gmail can also help with common tasks, for example, taking a few bullet points you've written about a meeting and turning them into a professional summary to share via email. There's even going to be an AI "I'm feeling lucky" option if you're feeling brave.

Available first in English to Google's US-based "trusted testers," AI capabilities will eventually roll out to consumers, small businesses, enterprises, and educational institutions in more countries and languages. We should also expect AI integrations with Slides, Sheets, Meet, and Chat as Google perfects the feature.

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