Who hasn’t dozed off while sitting at a four-hour-long work meeting? Or has forgotten to reply to an important work message? If this sounds like you, Google has some good news. Enter the new Google Workspace AI features.
To address the growing number of data entering our digital workspaces, Google is launching a new AI to make hybrid work easier. Changes include visual quality improvements to Google Meets, security alerts for the suite, and summaries for chats and files.
It’s important to note that this is not Google’s first time using machine learning. The company has employed the system for years. In fact, it’s adept at analyzing best practices to help keep users focused and productive at work. So it comes as no surprise that Google is now launching a new AI feature to help users thrive while working online.
Beating online work fatigue
The new industry-leading AI feature will tap into the sorting of data. Google’s Vice President for Product Management, Johanna Voolich Wright, said that this feature will help users “bring focus to what matters.”
According to Google, most users reported that they had a hard time staying focused online. This is because of the density of information flowing in and out of their workspaces. They observed a similar issue on their teams. With hybrid and work-from-home arrangements, most companies now do exchanges online. Though this also means that the number of emails, chats, and pings we receive is at an all-time high.
Despite the new Google Workspace AI features, Google Workspace pricing still starts at $6 a month.
Google Meets, Docs get new features
New Google Workspace AI features are set to make a suite of features available in Google Meets, Docs, etc.
For instance, the company recently launched built-in summaries in Google Docs. This feature, the company said, will be extended to Google Spaces. Doing so would give users a more concise view of the conversations.
They are also introducing an automated meeting transcript for Google Meet. This makes it easier for people who didn’t attend meetings to stay in the loop and for attendees to take notes for future reference easily. The transcription service is set to launch in late 2022. At the same time, a meeting summary feature will be available next year.
Aside from these add-ons, the Google Workspace features are also improving the visual quality of Meets. Portrait restore, a new feature, uses Google AI to adjust lighting and improve connectivity issues.
Other additions to Google Meets include Portrait lighting to bring studio-quality lighting for everyone. Another is de-reverberation, which filters out echoes for better sound quality. Finally, a live-sharing feature will make Google Meet more interactive.
Better security for global collaboration
Of course, Google is also ramping up its security features for work collaborations worldwide. The company says that its AI is learning how to protect users from phishing and malware attacks. This step, in turn, informs the company about how attackers are looking to hack data.
By now, you may already know that Gmail has alerts for potential software attacks. Well, Google is now scaling those features to Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. According to Google, new attack patterns show that Here, the system will notify the users if a link contains potential phishing attacks.
The new Google workspace AI features spell a continuation for hybrid work settings. And the company is ready to take these challenges head-on. The company promises that, in time, it will build on innovations to offer to its billion-user customer base. In the end, however, it’s up to the users how they can make use of the new features to make their virtual workspace better and more efficient.
