Google Announced a Number of New Features for Workspaces at Its I/O 2026 Conference.
Google Workspace is receiving a host of AI-powered updates, including a brand-new Google Pics app that can create and edit images. Many of these updates will be available to users of Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, and other Google Workspace apps, the company announced during its Google I/O 2026 presentation. These include conversational controls that let you take control of Gmail, Docs, and Keep; a new AI-powered inbox designed to help you stay on top of your email; and a personal AI agent called Gemini Spark that can integrate with Google Workspace apps to perform tasks for you.
Here are all the major Google Workspace updates announced at Google I/O 2026. These features are being rolled out to Google AI subscribers and paid Google Workspace users. This means you won’t be able to try many of them if you’re using the free plan of Google services.
Create and edit images with AI in Google Photos.
Google Pics is a new app built on the company’s cutting-edge Nano Banana AI image generation model, allowing you to create and edit photos using AI. Google claims this tool makes useful image editing tools more accessible, citing examples of capabilities such as changing and translating text, as well as transforming individual image elements (for example, changing the color of a sweater or turning a dog into a cat). You can also generate an image using a text prompt, but the real highlight appears to be the detailed editing.
Like any other AI-powered image creation tool, Google Pics also raises ethical questions about the nature of images. It’s not hard to imagine how such tools could be used for manipulation and deception. One can only hope that Google has safeguards in place to clearly identify images edited with Google Pics and prevent abuse. The app is available to “trusted testers” today and will launch globally for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers (and in preview for Google Workspace business users) this summer.
Enhanced conversational interactions in Gmail, Docs, and Keep.
Google is adding new voice features to Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Keep. The email service will introduce Gmail Live, which will search your inbox for answers to your questions. For example, you can ask, “What’s happening at my child’s school this week?” The service will then scan your inbox and find all emails from your child’s school. The idea is to ask questions in natural language, making communication more conversational.
The next new feature is Docs Live, which Google describes as your partner and co-author. You can chat with Docs Live, and it will help you generate ideas, organize your thoughts, and structure your document. Google claims this feature can even pull information from Gmail, Google Drive, Google Chat, and your web browser with your permission. Think of Docs Live as an outline tool that allows you to quickly gather a large amount of information, speeding up the writing process for those who find it difficult to start with a blank document.
For Google Keep users, new conversational features will turn your “thoughts out” into organized notes and lists. You can write whatever you want to jot down, and the AI assistant will sort and organize it. Like Google Pics, all these conversational features will be available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers (and in preview for Google Workspace business users) this summer.
New features in the Gmail inbox with artificial intelligence.
Gmail’s AI Inbox feature , which offers AI-powered summaries, suggestions, and spell checking, is also gaining several new capabilities. At I/O 2026, Google announced personalized replies to drafts, instant file access, and simplified task management. According to the company, AI Inbox will be able to create a contextual draft when it detects that an email requires an urgent response. With instant file access, AI Inbox will be able to find and display a link to a document from Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides when needed, making it easier to find the right document in email threads. This feature also allows you to mark all emails in a specific topic as read. These features will be available to Google AI Plus and Pro subscribers in the US starting today.
New Personal AI Agent: Gemini Spark
Today’s latest update to Workspace is a new AI agent called Gemini Spark. The company says Spark transforms Gemini from an assistant that answers your questions to one that performs tasks with your permission. Once enabled, Google says Gemini Spark will be able to perform tasks such as sending emails on your behalf and adding events to your calendar. The company adds that it will always ask your permission before performing these actions. Gemini Spark will be available to Google Workspace business users next week and will work through the Gemini app.