Google’s $30-per-month “Duet” AI will craft awkward emails, images for you | Ars Technica
How does the Duet AI assistant in Google Workspace apps compare to Microsoft’s tools?
The Duet AI assistant in Google Workspace apps offers a competitive advantage over Microsoft’s tools by providing a wide range of AI capabilities across different apps. While Microsoft also incorporates AI in its tools, Duet’s ability to summarize conversation threads in Gmail, generate visuals in Slides, and assist with spreadsheets in Sheets gives it an edge. Additionally, Duet’s integration with Google Meet and Google Chat further enhances collaboration and productivity. The launch of Duet poses a direct challenge to Microsoft’s AI tools and signifies Google’s commitment to revolutionizing the way we work.
What are some potential improvements that can be made to the Duet AI assistant?
There are several potential improvements that can be made to the Duet AI assistant. Firstly, enhancing its performance and accuracy in generating suggestions and completing tasks would greatly benefit users. This could involve refining the underlying AI models and algorithms to better understand context and user preferences. Secondly, expanding Duet’s capabilities to more apps within the Google Workspace ecosystem, such as Google Calendar, Google Keep, and Google Forms, would provide a more comprehensive AI-powered experience. Lastly, incorporating natural language processing capabilities to enable voice commands and dictation could further enhance the usability and accessibility of Duet.
What are the benefits and limitations of using AI models in productivity and collaboration tools?
Using AI models in productivity and collaboration tools comes with several benefits and limitations. One major benefit is the ability to automate repetitive tasks and streamline workflows, saving users time and effort. AI models can generate suggestions, summaries, visuals, and other content, reducing the need for manual intervention. They can also improve accuracy and productivity by providing real-time insights and analysis. However, there are limitations to AI models. They may not always understand context or user preferences accurately, leading to incorrect or irrelevant suggestions. Privacy and security concerns also arise when personal or sensitive data is processed by AI models. Therefore, it is important for users to exercise caution and double-check the results provided by AI models to ensure accuracy and data integrity.
Full summary
Google has announced the launch of its Duet AI assistant across its Workspace apps, including Docs, Gmail, Drive, Slides, and more. Duet offers a variety of AI capabilities in different apps, such as summarizing conversation threads in Gmail, helping with content creation in Docs, generating visuals in Slides, and assisting with spreadsheets in Sheets. The Duet AI assistant has applications in Google Meet and Google Chat as well.
Initial user reviews have shown varied performance, with some highlighting the potential for improvements in the future. This news comes after Google announced the rollout of Duet AI assistant across all Workspace apps. The Duet tech has been in testing with over a million users, showcasing its potential as a valuable tool for businesses.
In Gmail, Duet can summarize conversation threads and generate emails. Users can benefit from Duet's assistance in creating content in Google Docs. In Slides, Duet can generate custom visuals to enhance presentation design. For spreadsheet tasks, Duet can assist with formatting and creating spreadsheets in Google Sheets.
Furthermore, Duet can turn Google Docs outlines into decks in Slides, generate charts from data in spreadsheets, and write email responses. It can even find items in Drive, summarize documents, and perform various other functions to streamline workflow.
Google will charge $30 per user for access to Duet for large organizations, while pricing for smaller teams is yet to be finalized. Duet poses a direct challenge to Microsoft's tools, as both Google and Microsoft believe AI can revolutionize the way we work. However, it is important to note that AI models are not perfect, and users should double-check results.
To access Duet, users can find it through a separate menu or within the respective apps. The integration of Duet AI into Workspace apps signifies Google's commitment to embedding generative AI across its suite of collaboration tools.
In addition to Duet, Google is also expanding Workspace Labs with new features. Image generation is being rolled out in Google Slides, allowing users to create custom backgrounds for presentations. A 'Help me visualize' side panel will be available, offering users the ability to choose from different styles for image generation. Google will generate 6-8 designs with the option to view more.
Contextual suggestions for replies are also being added in Gmail, taking into account the previous thread. These suggestions will provide specific details that can be added to the generated replies. Google Workspace Labs allows users to sign up and be part of the testing phase for new features.
Overall, the launch of Duet AI assistant and the expansion of Workspace Labs with new features demonstrate Google's ongoing commitment to enhancing productivity and collaboration. By leveraging the power of AI, Google aims to transform the way we work and streamline the workflows of businesses and individuals alike.
