Although Google’s BARD isn’t entirely ready just yet, the company has made it known that it is going to integrate a number of generative AI features for its various Workspace applications including Google Docs, Gmail, Sheets, and Slides.

Using the generative AI, users of the app suite will be able to generate, summarize, and brainstorm text via Google Docs just as we’ve seen it done in ChatGPT. On the other hand, users can also generate an entire email via the Gmail app based on the user’s brief bullet points.

The system will also be able to generate AI imagery, audio, and video to illustrate presentations in Slides.

The news came as no surprise as Google is hoping to catch on with its competitors in the AI race. After Microsoft began integrating ChatGPT into its applications and services including its search engine, Bing, Google has been scrambling to do the same with its humongous search engine as well.

The company reportedly declared a “code red” in December, with senior management telling staff to add AI tools to all its user products, which are used by billions of people, in a matter of months.

Although the solutions are meant to appear across all of the Google Workspace suites, for now, only Docs and Gmail will have the generative AI integration while other apps within the suite will be pending.

Although the features will first be tested out with a number of select testers in the United States, Google says these and other features will then be made available to the public later in the year but didn’t specify when.

You can see below the full list of AI-powered features Google says will be coming to Workspace apps in the future:

• Draft, reply, summarize, and prioritize your Gmail
• Brainstorm, proofread, write, and rewrite in Docs
• Bring your creative vision to life with auto-generated images, audio, and video in Slides
• Go from raw data to insights and analysis via auto-completion, formula generation, and contextual categorization in Sheets
• Generate new backgrounds and capture notes in Meet
• Enable workflows for getting things done in Chat

An example of AI in Google Docs turning a prompt into a full job description. Image: Google

The usefulness of the generative Ai can be seen in the above-animated image showing a prompt that says “Help me write” and then a query was entered “Job post for a regional sales rep.” which then prompted the AI system to complete the job specifications fr the user within seconds. All that is left is to merely edit and refine the generated specs.

Google further explained more on the potential features of the technology via its press release saying “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. Simply type a topic you’d like to write about, and a draft will instantly be generated for you. With your collaborative Al partner, you can continue to refine and edit, getting more suggestions as needed.”

By using the AI-enabled tool, users will also be able to rewrite email messages as well. Google further explained that by merely jotting a few bullet points down for a work meeting, the AI-powered Docs application can then help you to expand each of the points into a more refined summary.

Users can also specify the type of tone they’d prefer such as formal or casual. Google further shared a video demonstration of how the AI writer can be used to create personalized marketing messages for clients, turning bullet points into a full email message, and summarizing the content of a long email.

While Google’s integration is very handy, Microsoft is also rumored to be planning the same for its Office app suite including Word, Teams, and Outlook.

It’s no longer news that Microsoft is trying everything in its power to unseat Google from the throne as the most popular search engine thanks to its integration of ChatGPT into Bing. The create CEO, Satya Nadella also described this move as a new paradigm that could unseat Google from its throne.

But it seems the two companies will also be competing in the world of productivity software. Microsoft has scheduled an event where it will detail its plans for “the future of work with AI” later this week on March 16th.

While the so-called AI integration by major tech companies may sound very interesting to the end users, it’s also worth noting that as of today, some of these programs have been caught spewing pure false information which means there is a responsibility on the end user to d their own due diligence in ensuring that the information got from their AI writer is accurate. In fact, ChatGPT is known for not o being accurate.

Google, unlike Microsoft, has a lot to lose if its “reliable” apps start assuming false information about users. Something similar happened during the presentation of its BARD AI last month.