Google AI features for Gmail and Docs up the ante against Microsoft
As Google looks to take on Microsoft in the productivity space, the company is introducing a host of new features powered by artificial intelligence.
The company announced at its annual Google I/O developer conference on Wednesday several new features coming to Gmail and Google Docs that leverage AI to help users be more productive.
Perhaps the most notable new addition is Smart Compose in Gmail, which uses AI to suggest complete sentences as you’re typing an email. The feature, which is similar to what’s available in Google Docs, is designed to help you save time by eliminating the need to type out common phrases.
Another new AI-powered feature coming to Gmail is the ability to schedule emails to be sent at a later time. This can be useful if you want to make sure an email is delivered when the recipient is available to read it.
To help you manage your inbox, Gmail will also soon be able to prioritize emails from people you interact with the most. This will be done by taking into account factors like how often you email someone and whether you cc them on messages.
On the Google Docs front, the company is introducing a new feature called Explore that uses AI to provide relevant information and suggested actions as you’re working on a document. For example, if you’re writing a paper about a particular subject, Explore will surface relevant articles and data that you can use to support your argument.
To help you collaboration with others, Google is also introducing a new feature called Suggested Changes that uses AI to suggest edits to a document. The feature is designed to improve upon the existing comments function by surfacing more relevant and actionable suggestions.
Finally, Google is introducing a new feature called SmartCanvas that uses AI to surface relevant information from your documents as you’re working on them. The goal is to provide context and information that you might need while you’re working, without you having to switch between different apps and services.
These are just a few of the new features that Google is introducing that leverage AI to help users be more productive. As the company looks to take on Microsoft in the productivity space, expect to see more AI-powered features coming to Gmail and Google Docs in the future.
