Google Assistant expands features in beta for G Suite for businesses
Google is aiming to make Google Assistant more a part of your meetings.
The company said it is launching Google Assistant for G Suite so businesses can enable employees to better manage their work calendars, send messages and schedule meeting rooms.
Google said it has launched a series of Google Assistant services for G Suite in beta. The company also enabled the Asus Hangouts Meet Hardware kit to use Google Assistant.
The strategy for Google Assistant rhymes with how Amazon plans to take Alexa to the workplace. The advantage for Google's cloud unit is that Google Assistant can ride along with millions of G Suite business accounts. Google began embedding Assistant into G Suite in April. (Also see: Google Assistant gets Assignable tasks feature, also known as weaponized nagging | Google Cloud Next: Everything you need to know about the new strategy )
Here's what was added to Google Assistant for G Suite:
- Google Assistant can manage scheduling in Google Calendar along with canceling and rescheduling meetings. Enterprises can try Google Assistant's expanded features by signing up for a beta.
- Google Assistant can dial into conference calls and send quick messages. The syntax would be, "Hey, Google, join my next meeting.
- The Asus Hangouts Meet Hardware kit will also get Google Assistant features to join and exit meetings.
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For Google to expand Google Assistant more in organizations it'll have to expand beyond the hardware integration with Asus. Google will have to work with the likes of hardware players such as Logitech and Plantronics as well as collaboration apps such as Zoom, GoToMeeting and Cisco's WebEx.
Collaboration:
- Microsoft says it has 20 million daily active Teams users
- Cisco unifies its collaboration tools on one platform
- Microsoft Teams gains traction faster than expected, catches Plantronics flat-footed
- Workplace by Facebook adds bevy of features, passes 3 million paid users, eyes frontline workers
- Microsoft wants to manage your meeting rooms
- Zoom launches purpose-built appliances for Zoom Room conferencing system
The expansion of Google Assistant's beta features comes as the company launched Smart Compose in Google Docs. The effort uses artificial intelligence to complete sentences in emails, fix errors and suggest words based on your organization.