In 2006, it was Gmail for Your Domain. (Soon after, Google Apps for Your Domain.)
In 2016, it was rebranded as G Suite.
Then in 2020, it was rebranded once again as Google Workspace.
That’s a fair amount of change branding-wise, especially for a suite of apps powered by a powerhouse such as Google.
That said, change is inevitable. And unlike Google’s now-defunct G+, at least Google Workspace is still kicking.
For any unfamiliar, Google Workspace’s suite of collaboration and productivity tools is accessible for businesses of all sizes. (Getting started is easy, too.) A Google Workspace plan provides a custom email for your business (plus 30GB of cloud storage, support, and both file sharing and video conferencing)and includes well-known apps like Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Sites.
Until a week ago, that was the gist of how Google Workspace’s real-time collaboration capabilities functioned, in terms of working with other people.
But now, users can also Workspace-collaborate directly with AI.
Anyone who has used chatbots like ChatGPT or image-generation programs like DALL-E or Midjourney will likely want to give Google Workspace a go; specifically, via Duet AI for Google Workspace. Because after embedding the power of generative AI, Duet AI for Google Workspace has arrived.
Building on Google’s vision for generative AI’s progression, Duet AI helps users write, churn out jaw-dropping images, better organize, accelerate workflows, and have richer experiences overall.
Here’s the rundown. Duet AI:
- Helps with writing, at home, the office or on the go: Whether you’re refining existing work for starting anew in both Gmail and Docs, Duet AI allows you to draft complete responses with just a few prompted words. And, per Google, “Our initial launch on mobile will be fast-followed by contextual assistance,” as well.
- Creates original imagery: This is achieved with Duet AI within Google Slides. Compelling visuals can be generated in mere minutes, cutting down on manual and time-consuming image-production processes. (Whether it’s lifestyle stock-like photos of an in-the-making office space, or Zelda and Link fighting against Ganandorf on a luxury jet while a mariachi band plays battle music, or any in-betweens.)
- Smartly analyzes and acts on data: Turning ideas into actions and data into real insights, Duet AI works in Sheets with automated data classification and custom plan-creation capabilities. Per Google, “Duet AI can understand the context of data in a cell and can assign a label to it, helping eliminate the burden of tedious data entry.” So whether you’re on a product development team analyzing scores of feedback or an HR recruiter summarizing input from interviews, Duet AI is on it.
- As I just learned while drafting this very article, there’s even a “Help me organize” feature that automatically creates customized plans for any tasks or activities that need to be tracked or managed – executed by the user simply describing what they’re trying to accomplish. Even prompted in simple terms, Duet AI begins generating results. That is wild.
Duet AI also helps liven connections via Meet backgrounds and meeting options, works in Docs to auto-fill key snippets of information, and more (in multiple languages and writing styles).
In accordance with Google’s AI Principles, these early-stage features of Duet AI for Google Workspace are available for a limited number of users for early testing.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
