Google is injecting a fresh wave of artificial intelligence into its Workspace suite, unveiling new automation tools and generative AI features designed to boost productivity and streamline office workflows.
At its Cloud Next event, the tech giant introduced Workspace Flows, a powerful new tool aimed at automating multi-step tasks — such as updating spreadsheets, searching documents, or compiling data — with minimal user input. The feature can integrate with Gems, Google’s AI-powered custom chatbots, to handle specific requests, and it works seamlessly with apps like Google Drive to pull relevant data.
“Simply describe what you need in plain language, and Workspace Flows will design and build sophisticated, logic-driven flows,” said Yulie Kwon Kim, Google Workspace’s Vice President of Product, in a blog post shared with TechCrunch. Kim added that Google is partnering with third-party providers to extend Flows’ capabilities beyond the Workspace ecosystem.
These upgrades reinforce Google’s vision of Workspace as an “AI-first” platform, as it continues to compete with rival productivity suites like Microsoft 365. Google began rolling out generative AI features to Workspace in early 2023 and recently made several AI tools available at no extra cost — though subscription plan prices have increased.
In a move to address regulatory concerns, Google is also rolling out new data residency controls, allowing customers to choose where their data is processed — a key compliance measure for laws like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
With these updates, Google is signaling a clear direction: turning Workspace into a fully integrated, AI-enhanced productivity engine built for the modern office.
