Stop Wasting Time – Scheduling Meetings with Gemini
▼ Summary
– Google introduced a “Help me schedule” feature in Gmail that uses Gemini to automatically set meeting times with individual contacts.
– The feature eliminates the need for multiple emails by suggesting available time slots based on your schedule and adding meetings to both participants’ calendars.
– It only works when both people use Gmail and Google Calendar and is limited to one-on-one meetings, not groups.
– This is part of Google’s broader investment in AI productivity tools, alongside Microsoft’s Copilot, to automate workplace tasks.
– Research shows these AI systems are becoming widespread but many businesses struggle to see a return on investment from them.
Navigating the complexities of scheduling can drain valuable work hours, but Google’s new “Help me schedule” feature in Gmail aims to change that. By integrating Gemini’s capabilities directly into your email workflow, this tool automatically identifies suitable meeting times based on your calendar availability, eliminating the tedious back-and-forth often required to lock down an appointment.
When someone emails you requesting a meeting, say, a one-hour catch-up, Gemini scans your Google Calendar and proposes available slots. You can review and adjust these suggestions before inserting them into your reply. Once the other person selects a time, Gemini seamlessly adds the event to both calendars. This streamlines coordination, especially with contacts whose schedules aren’t shared with you.
It’s important to note that this functionality is currently limited to one-on-one scheduling. Both participants must use Gmail and Google Calendar for the feature to work, and it does not support group meetings or multiple attendees at this time.
Gemini’s scheduling assistant is part of a broader push by Google to embed AI across its productivity suite. Recently, the company introduced several Gemini-powered enhancements, including the ability to share custom AI agents called Gems, catch up on document changes in Docs, Slides, and Sheets, and even clear out cluttered Gmail inboxes.
Major tech firms like Google and Microsoft are heavily investing in AI-driven workplace tools, striving to reduce the time employees spend on repetitive or administrative duties. Recent analysis highlights Gemini and Microsoft Copilot as leading systems that use agentic AI, technology designed to mimic human decision-making and autonomously tackle problems.
Studies suggest these advanced AI agents could profoundly transform business operations by automating complex tasks with limited human input. They are increasingly embedded across digital workspaces, from collaborative chats and email platforms to virtual meeting rooms and cloud development environments.
Nevertheless, many organizations report difficulty quantifying a clear return on investment from AI tools, even as adoption grows. Research from companies like Atlassian and other industry analyses echo this challenge, indicating that while usage is rising, measurable business benefits remain elusive for some.
(Source: ZDNET)
