Google is introducing a new Gemini AI side panel across its productivity suite, starting with Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. The feature, which was announced at the company’s I/O developer conference last month, utilizes artificial intelligence to assist users with writing emails, summarizing email threads, and providing answers to specific questions.
In Gmail, the Gemini side panel can help users draft emails, suggest responses, and find information from their inbox or Google Drive files. Users can also ask their own questions, such as “What was the PO number for my agency?” or “How much did the company spend on the last marketing event?”
The feature is only available to Google Workspace customers with a Gemini Business or Enterprise add-on, Gemini Education or Education Premium add-on, or a Google One AI Premium subscription.
In Docs, the Gemini side panel can aid users in writing and refining their content, summarizing information, and brainstorming ideas. It can also generate content based on other files. In Slides, Gemini can help users create new slides and custom images, as well as summarize presentations.
The side panel can also assist users in tracking and organizing data in Sheets, creating tables, generating formulas, and performing specific tasks. In Drive, Gemini can summarize documents and provide quick facts about a project.
To access the features in Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Drive, users must be paid Gemini users.
