Google recently unveiled a range of exciting additions to its Workspace suite during the I/O 2023 event. Building upon the generative Duet AI technology, the company offered a sneak peek into the upcoming features that will enhance productivity and collaboration. One of the highlights is the introduction of Smart Notes in Meet, enabling automatic note-taking during video calls.
During the event, Google showcased a glimpse of its generative AI capabilities in March, where Meet could effortlessly generate meeting notes. Along with providing a concise summary of the discussion, Meet can also generate action items that integrate with Google Tasks, ensuring nothing gets overlooked.
The controls for the new “Smart Notes” feature will be conveniently located in the top-right corner of Meet‘s web UI, alongside options to make the meeting private and disable certain functionalities.
In addition to Smart Notes, Google also demonstrated “Dynamic Layouts” in Meet, utilizing AI to optimize the placement of participants’ video feeds on the screen. By cropping empty space and adapting the video window to a portrait format, Google aims to maximize the visibility of meeting participants, reducing distractions caused by black backgrounds. As part of this change, the meeting controls toolbar might be adjusted to allow the Chat message box to appear seamlessly.
Expanding upon the recent rollout of the “Help me write” feature on Gmail and Docs web versions, Google announced its imminent availability on mobile apps as well. Gmail users can expect to see a floating action button (FAB) on the Compose screen, offering convenient access to writing prompts and suggestions.
Google also took the opportunity to share that Workspace currently boasts an impressive 9 million paying subscribers. The company emphasized the versatility of generative AI across its major applications.
In Gmail, generative AI aims to enhance communication efficiency by providing users with the “right words” to express themselves. Key features include the ability to summarize email threads and organize the inbox effectively. While the former capability was showcased in a demo video, the specifics of inbox organization remain to be seen. Presently, Gmail offers standard views and auto-grouping categories such as Promotions, Social, Updates, and Forums.
Notably, Google Slides received mention for its generative AI integration. Alongside generating images, the platform will now be capable of creating soundtracks for presentations. While the image generation functionality was demonstrated during the event, the soundtrack generator could leverage technologies like MusicLM to offer captivating background tracks, adding an immersive element to slideshows.
Google continues to push the boundaries of AI and productivity with its Workspace suite. The upcoming generative AI features, including Smart Notes in Meet, Dynamic Layouts, enhanced writing assistance in Gmail mobile apps, and the Slides soundtrack maker, demonstrate the company’s commitment to empowering users with innovative tools for seamless collaboration and creative expression.