March 21, 2025
Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - March 21, 2025
New updates
There are no new updates to share this week. Please see below for a recap of published announcements.
Previous announcements
The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.
Upcoming changes to how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages in Google Chat
To provide a more consistent product experience across conversation types, we are changing how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages with external participants. | Learn more about retention policies for Chat.
Available in beta: Convert your client-side encrypted documents after a Vault or Takeout export
After a Vault or Data export (takeout), admins can now convert their exported client-side encrypted documents to Word files. | Learn more about this new beta.
Introducing a new building block that summarizes content with Gemini in Google Docs
An additional building block that adds an AI-generated summary to your content using Gemini in Docs is now available. By going to Insert > Building Blocks > AI Summary or typing “@” followed by “AI summary,” Gemini will provide a summary that you can instantly insert or edit alongside other document collaborators. | Learn more about building block summaries in Docs.
Admins can now deploy Context-Aware Access for NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus
Admins can now specify Context-Aware Access (CAA) policies when their users access NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus. | Learn more about Context-Aware Access support for NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus.
Beta update: Data loss prevention rules based on classification labels are now applied instantly in Gmail on the web
Auto-classification labeling with data loss prevention (DLP) rules and actions triggered by classification labels detected in the message will now be applied instantly when using Gmail on the web. | Learn more about Data loss prevention rules based on classification labels.
Use Gemini in the side panel of Google Slides in even more languages
You can now use Gemini in the side panel of Google Slides, which includes the ability to generate images, in many new languages. | Learn more about using the side panel of Google Slides in even more languages.
Gmail data loss prevention now supports “sensitive content snippets”
We recently launched data loss prevention for Gmail and, beginning today, Admins can see “Sensitive content snippets” for Gmail messages that trigger data loss prevention rules. | Learn more about “sensitive content snippets”.
See summaries of shared Google Docs, Slides, or Sheets files directly in Google Chat
Users can now easily summarize Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets files shared within a Chat conversation. | Learn more about file summaries in Chat.
Try Canvas, a new way to collaborate with the Gemini app
You can now create, format, and refine your documents or code in Canvas, a new collaborative space in Gemini. | Learn more about Canvas.
Use Gemini in the side panel of Google Chat in additional languages
We’ve expanded the availability of Gemini in the side panel of Chat to the following languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Japanese, French, Korean. | Learn more about using the side panel of Google Chat in additional languages.
New features available in NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus
In addition to NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus becoming available as a Google Workspace core service for business customers and the recent announcement of Context-Aware Access support for NotebookLM and Notebook LM Plus, we’ve introduced new features that improve upon the NotebookLM user experience. | Learn more about new features in NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus.
Contextual Smart Replies now available for Google Workspace Business and Enterprise editions
Earlier this year, we announced that we’re including the best of Google AI directly into Workspace Business and Enterprise plans without the need to purchase a separate Gemini add-on. In addition, we recently introduced Google Meet and Google Chat AI-powered features to Business and Enterprise editions, and today were excited to add contextual Smart Replies to the list of available features. | Learn more about Contextual Smart Replies.
Adding new capabilities to Google Vids’ ‘Help me create’
We're introducing a new ‘Help me create’ feature that automatically generates AI voiceovers for each scene of your Vid from the AI suggested scripts. | Learn more about Google Vids’ ‘Help me create’ capabilities.
Completed rollouts
The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.
Rapid Release Domains:
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:
- More AI-powered features in Google Meet and Google Chat are coming to Google Workspace Business and Enterprise editions (Custom background images, studio lighting, and studio sound in Google Meet)
- Additional accessibility tags for Tables, Equations, and Checkboxes in PDFs exported from Google Docs
- 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental model upgrades in the Gemini app and Deep Research
- Available in beta: Convert your client-side encrypted documents after a Vault or Takeout export (Eligible Google Workspace admins can use this form to request access to the beta.)
- Admins can now deploy Context-Aware Access for NotebookLM and NotebookLM Plus