Google puts an “Ask Gemini” button in Google Chat, English only at first

What happened

On 19 August, Google announced Ask Gemini in Chat, a new place inside Google Chat where staff can ask Gemini to search company files and messages, summarise conversations, draft text and manage tasks. Rollout was set to start on 26 August and take up to 15 days (Google Workspace Updates). It opens from Shortcuts in Chat, or with Ctrl+G on Windows and Command+G on a Mac.

Why it matters for your business

If your team runs on Google Chat, this is the shortest route from “where’s that offer we sent Müller AG?” to an answer. Gemini only searches what the person asking already has access to, so it does not open up files they couldn’t see before.

There is a catch for existing users. The old Gemini side panel in Chat goes away for English-language accounts, and past conversations do not move across. Admins can export them, and users can download them through Google Takeout.

It is included in Business Standard and Business Plus, Enterprise Standard and Plus, and the Google AI Pro for Education add-on. Business Starter is not on the list. Your organisation also needs Workspace “smart features” switched on.

The Swiss angle

This one is English-first. Google says only people whose Google account language is English get the new version. Colleagues set to German, French or Italian keep the old side panel for now.

In a mixed-language team that means two different Gemini experiences in the same company. Plan any training around that.

No new cost: it comes with the Workspace plans listed above. Data handling follows Workspace’s existing generative AI terms, which say your content is not used to train models without permission.

What to do

If your staff use English as their Google account language and keep chat history in the old side panel, ask them to save anything important before the switch. Everyone else: nothing to do yet. Watch for the German, French and Italian rollout.

Update, October 2026: Google’s weekly recap of 21 August confirmed Ask Gemini in Chat as “launching August 26, 2026” (Google Workspace Updates).

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Sources

• Google Workspace Updates, 19 August 2026: Introducing Ask Gemini in Chat
• Google Workspace Updates, 21 August 2026: Weekly Recap
• Google Workspace Admin Help: Generative AI in Google Workspace Privacy Hub