Google Drive has also introduced a new feature called “Nudges,” which are designed to make users more productive by providing them direct access to Gemini AI functionality. Nudges appear as clickable shortcuts at the Drive homepage and folder tops, providing instant access to actions such as summarizing folders, learning about files, and other Gemini-powered actions.
The nudges feature is being launched today to Google Workspace Business and Enterprise customers, and Google One AI Premium subscribers, including customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on. The launch is part of Google’s broader effort to introduce Gemini AI into a number of Workspace apps, including Gmail, Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Chat.
Gemini in Google Drive allows users to leverage AI to summarize, analyze, and generate content, making it easier to find specific files and information. The nudges are dynamic and appear based on the content of your Drive, meaning not all users will see every available nudge option. For instance, if a folder does not contain much content, nudges related to summarizing or analyzing that folder may not be displayed.
The inclusion of nudges in Google Drive should boost productivity, especially for businesses. Instead of having to hunt through massive collections of files by hand, users can now utilize Gemini to hunt for and summarize relevant information quickly. All users, including free Drive users, ought to see the advantage of this function once it’s rolled out more widely.
While the feature is currently accessible to only a few user groups, past trends suggest that it should be available to all Google Drive users in the next couple of months. This extension would be in line with Google’s practice of gradual rollout of new features to extended user groups after beta testing and feedback from its paid subscribers.
For users to access these nudges, their organization’s admin must have enabled Workspace smart features. However, in regions like Europe and Japan, these features are disabled by default and require manual activation. Even with smart features enabled, the visibility of nudges depends on the update status of the user’s Workspace environment.
Google’s addition of AI-powered nudges in Drive speaks to its ongoing efforts at enhancing user experience and productivity across its suite of applications. As AI takes a bigger role in cloud storage and collaboration apps, features like nudges can only be expected to become more common, simplifying the process for users to navigate complex digital ecosystems.
