Google AI Injects ‘Most Capable’ Bard Yet Into Gmail, Docs, Workspace

Google Bard is now pulling data from across users’ Gmail, Drive and Docs accounts to find better answers and boost creativity. Here’s what to know about Google’s new and improved AI chatbot for Workspace.

Google’s AI chatbot Bard will now pull data from users’ Gmail, Drive and Docs accounts to better help people find the information and answers they’re looking for, compared with Bard just leveraging data from the internet.

“We’re rolling out Bard’s most capable model yet,” said Yury Pinsky, director of product management for Bard, in a blog post. “Bard now integrates with Google apps and services for more helpful responses. We’ve also improved the ‘Google it’ feature to double-check Bard’s answers and expanded features to more places.”

Pinsky said the new Bard features for Google Workspace are possible due to the innovation on its PaLM 2 Large Language Model. Based on developer and customer feedback, Google said it has applied new reinforcement learning techniques to train the model to be more intuitive and imaginative.

New Bard Extensions

Google has unveiled its new Bard Extensions designed to find and show users relevant information from Google Workspace products including Gmail, Docs, Drive and Maps, as well as YouTube.

Specifically, Google’s Bard Extensions provide answers even if the information needed is spread across multiple applications and services.

“Imagine you’re applying for a new job and using Bard to help with the process. You could ask Bard to ‘find my resume titled June 2023 from my Drive and summarize it to a short paragraph personal statement,’ and continue collaborating on your new cover letter,” said Pinsky.

In addition, Google is expanding access to features such as the ability to upload images with Lens, get Search images in responses and modify Bard’s responses to more than 40 languages.

[Related: Google Cloud CEO On AI: ‘We Have A 10-Year Head Start On Any Competitor’]

‘Google It’ Now Double-Checks Its Answers

Bard’s ‘Google it’ button feature can now double-check its answers.

When users click on the “G” icon, Bard will read the response and evaluate whether there is content across the web to substantiate it. When a statement can be evaluated, users can click the highlighted phrases and learn more about supporting or contradicting information found by Google Search.

Pinsky said Google is also making it easier to build on others’ conversations with Bard.

“Starting today, when someone shares a Bard chat with you through a public link, you can continue the conversation and ask Bard additional questions about that topic or use it as a starting point for your own ideas,” he said.

Betsy Reed, co-founder, vice president and CRO of Google Cloud partner CloudWerx, said the constant generative AI innovation around Workspace will help boost customer sales and stickiness.

“Workspace is on the cutting edge of technology and has best-in-class tools that are rising to the forefront,” said Reed. “Customers are embracing their AI technology. There’s a ton of flexibility in it. It is the best.”

San Jose, Calif.-based CloudWerx is a Google Cloud and Workspace Premier Partner and won Google Cloud’s 2023 Sales Partner of the Year award for North America.

“Customers need the most innovative set of tools. And that’s what Google Cloud and Workspace is providing to their customers,” she said.

User Content ‘Not Seen By Humans’ Or Used By Bard

Google’s message to the world around its AI plans is that the company’s No. 1 priority in artificial intelligence is to protect customers’ personal data and information.

“If you choose to use the Workspace extensions, your content from Gmail, Docs and Drive is not seen by human reviewers, used by Bard to show you ads or used to train the Bard model,” said Pinsky. “You’re always in control of your privacy settings when deciding how you want to use these extensions, and you can turn them off at any time.”

Overall, Pinsky said the new Bard can respond with greater quality and accuracy than ever before.

“With these latest updates, Bard is more equipped to help you get all your unique ideas off the ground,” said Pinsky.