Google Just Announced a Bunch of Workspace Features at I/O 2026

Google Workspace is getting a bunch of AI-related updates, including a brand new app called Google Pics, which can generate and edit images for you. Many of these updates will be available to those who use Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, and other Google Workspace apps, the company announced during the Google I/O 2026 keynote. This includes conversational features that will let you control Gmail, Docs, and Keep; a new AI inbox that aims 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 get things done for you.

Here are all the major Google Workspace updates revealed at Google I/O 2026. These features are rolling out to Google AI subscribers and paid Google Workspace users. This means you won’t be able to try much if you’re on the free tier of Google services.

Create and edit images with AI in Google Pics

Google Pics is a new app built with the company’s latest Nano Banana AI image generation model and lets you create and edit photos using AI. Google says this tool makes useful image editing tools more accessible, highlighting examples like editing and translating text, as well as transforming specific elements in an image (for example, changing the color of a sweater or turning a dog into a cat). You can also generate an image with a text prompt, but the real highlight seems to be the granular editing.

Like any other AI-related image generation tool, Google Pics also raises ethical questions about the nature of an image. It’s not hard to imagine how tools like these could be misused to manipulate and deceive. One can only hope that Google has safeguards in place to clearly identify images altered with Google Pics and prevent misuse. This app is available today for “trusted testers” and will roll out globally to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers (and preview to Google Workspace business users) this summer.

Improved conversational capabilities in Gmail, Docs and Keep

Google is adding new voice features to Gmail, Google Docs and Google Keep. The email service has a feature called Gmail Live, which will search your inbox to answer your questions. For example, you might ask something like, “What’s happening at my child’s school this week?” The service will then search your inbox and find all emails from your child’s school. The idea is to ask questions in natural language, which makes it “conversational”.

The next new thing is Docs Live, which acts as a partner and co-editor, according to Google. You can talk to Docs Live and it will help you brainstorm ideas, organize your thoughts, and structure your document. Google says the feature can even pull information from Gmail, Google Drive, Google Chat, and the web with your permission. You can think of Docs Live as a presentation tool that can quickly bring together a lot of information, speeding up the writing process for those who struggle to get started with a blank document.

For Google Keep users, new conversational features can turn your “brain dump” into organized notes and lists. You can say whatever you want to write down and the AI ​​assistant will sort and organize it for you. Like Google Pics, all of these conversational features will be rolled out this summer to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers (and in preview for professional Google Workspace users).

New Gmail AI Inbox Features

Gmail’s AI Inbox, which offers AI-powered summaries, suggestions, and proofreading, is also getting a few new tricks. At I/O 2026, Google announced that AI Inbox would benefit from personalized draft responses, instant file access, and streamlined task management. AI Inbox will be able to generate a pop-up draft for you when it detects that an email needs an urgent response, the company claims. With instant access to files, AI Inbox can search and display a link to a document from Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides when you need it, which could make it easier to find the right document in discussion threads. The feature also allows you to mark all emails of a certain subject as read. These features will be available today to Google AI Plus and Pro subscribers in the United States.

A new personal AI agent: Gemini Spark

The final Workspace-related update today is a new AI agent called Gemini Spark. The company says Spark transforms Gemini from an assistant that answers your questions into an assistant that gets things done with your permission. Once this feature is enabled, Google says Gemini Spark can perform tasks like sending emails on your behalf and adding events to your calendar. The company adds that it will always ask for your permission before performing these actions. Gemini Spark will roll out to Google Workspace business users in the coming week and will be available through the Gemini app.