Prime Highlights:
- Google introduced a new AI-powered “Help me schedule” feature in Gmail that uses Gemini to find suitable meeting times based on email context and calendar availability.
- The tool automates one-on-one meeting scheduling by suggesting time slots, allowing easy insertion into emails, and syncing meetings directly to Google Calendar for both parties.
Key Facts:
- The “Help me schedule” feature shows available time slots from the user’s Google Calendar and adapts suggestions based on email context, such as meeting duration and timing preferences.
- This launch is part of Google’s broader AI integration into Workspace apps, alongside updates to Google Slides, NotebookLM, Google Vids, and the introduction of the Nano Banana image editing model.
Background
Google has introduced a new Gemini-powered feature in Gmail that makes scheduling meetings easier for users linked with Google Calendar. The new “Help me schedule” tool, launched on Tuesday, uses artificial intelligence to find suitable meeting times based on a user’s availability and the context of their emails.
The tool is designed for one-on-one meetings and aims to simplify the process of finding a common time to meet. When writing an email, users will now see a “Help me schedule” button below the compose window. After clicking it, the tool will show a list of available time slots from your calendar. You can edit or remove any of them before inserting the list into your email. After choosing a time by the other party, it will automatically add the meeting to the Google calendar of both users.
The interesting thing about this feature, in comparison with other scheduling apps such as Calendly, Doodle, or the assistant in Zoom, is that it will utilize the AI of Gemini to comprehend the context of the email. For example, if someone mentions wanting a 30-minute meeting next week, the tool will suggest only half-hour slots before the end of that week.
The launch comes as part of Google’s wider plan to add more AI features to Workspace apps. The company also introduced updates to Google Slides, NotebookLM, and Google Vids, and unveiled its new image editing model, Nano Banana.
In another update, Google said that reminders from Google Keep will now automatically move to Google Tasks to make task management smoother.
Previously, Google Calendar offered appointment scheduling, but it wasn’t linked directly with Gmail or supported by AI. With this new Gemini-powered feature, Google wants to make scheduling meetings smarter, quicker, and easier for everyday users.
