Google Workspace adds auto-summaries and meeting transcripts

Google announced a bunch of updates for its Workspace office suite today at Google I/O. The most useful? Auto-generated summaries so you can get the Too Long; Didn’t Read (TLDR) option without skim reading.

The Google Docs summaries were rolled out earlier this year, in February. Today, those auto-generated summaries get expanded to Spaces, the chat rooms that are built into Google Workspace.

Missed an important conversation between your colleagues? Need to step away and don’t look forward to scrolling to catch up? Spaces will skim for you and give you a summary for when you’re back. That way, you can decide if you need to read the rest of the conversation or not.

Automated transcriptions are coming to Google Meet as well. Because, let’s face it, even if you’re in a meeting, when was the last time you took proper notes?

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Now you don’t have to, as Google’s AI will handle it for you. This also keeps you using Google’s services, instead of one of the competing transcription services. The more data Google keeps, the better its transcription gets.

Google Meet is improving image quality for video calls

Google Meet is also getting a couple of image improvements. Portrait Restore can automatically fix your image quality, even when you have bad lighting conditions or a spotty connection.

Portrait Lighting gives you AI-powered lighting controls, so you don’t need physical light to make your face shine.

Google hasn’t given a timeline for when these new features will be coming to Workspace and Meet, but we’ll continue to update when more information is available.

 Stay tuned to KnowTechie for more news from Google’s annual developer conference.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.