Google adds AI automation tools to Workspace suite

Google announced a series of artificial intelligence updates to Workspace, its subscription-based productivity suite, at the Google Cloud Next conference this week. The changes integrate automation tools across email, spreadsheets, and document editing workflows. The centerpiece is Workspace Intelligence, a new AI system that draws on user data from Gmail, Calendar, Chat, and Drive to automate assistance across tasks. Google has given users administrative control over what data the system can access, with the caveat that broader access enables more comprehensive assistance. New features in Google Sheets allow users to construct spreadsheets through prompts to Gemini, Google's AI assistant, including formatting and data retrieval. The system also offers prompt-based data entry that Google claims operates nine times faster than manual input by inferring what users intend to enter. An additional feature converts unstructured data into organized tables. Google Docs now includes AI writing tools powered by Workspace Intelligence. Users can prompt Gemini to generate, write, and refine documents, drawing on Drive, Chat, and Gmail archives as well as internet data. The system can also attempt to match a user's writing style. The updates reflect intensifying competition among technology companies to deploy AI-powered office tools. Google's products are already embedded in workplaces worldwide, but Microsoft, Apple, and startups are competing for the same enterprise market.