Cheat sheet · 4 min read

3 things Google Docs can now do

Google has quietly built AI into the tools you already use. Here's what's actually useful, and what to ignore.

By Abi Odedeyi · CodeFreeIQ

You don't always need a separate AI tab. Google has folded AI straight into Docs and the wider Workspace, which means some tasks now happen right where you already work. Here are the three worth knowing about, and an honest note on where a dedicated AI still wins.

What's inside

1Draft and rewrite inside the doc 2Summarise long documents 3Answers across your Workspace

1: Draft and rewrite without leaving the page

You can ask the built-in assistant to draft a section, rewrite a paragraph in a different tone, or shorten something, right inside the document. For everyday writing, that removes the copy-paste-back shuffle between your doc and a separate chat window.

What this means for you: for quick in-document edits, staying put is faster. Save the dedicated AI for the heavier lifting.

2: Summarise a long document in seconds

Long report, long thread, long brief? The built-in AI can give you the gist without you reading every line. For getting oriented fast, before a meeting, before a reply, it's a genuine time-saver that lives right next to the file.

What this means for you: use it to decide what deserves a proper read. A good summary tells you where to spend your actual attention.

3: Answers that pull from your own files

Because it's inside Google, the assistant can draw on your documents and emails to answer questions grounded in your own material, not just general knowledge. That's the real advantage of built-in AI: it already sits next to your stuff.

What this means for you: the closer AI is to your data, the more useful its answers. That's exactly why 'built in' matters here.