Google is expanding the capabilities of its Gemini AI platform with the introduction of two innovative features: Canvas and Audio Overview. According to Dave Citron, Senior Director, Product Management, Gemini app in a blog post, both are designed to make content creation and consumption more intuitive and efficient.
Canvas offers users an interactive workspace for drafting, editing, and refining both written content and code. By working directly with Gemini’s AI, users can co-create speeches, essays, reports, and even web prototypes or Python scripts. The platform provides real-time feedback, allowing for tone adjustments, formatting suggestions, and code debugging—all within a unified space. Users can then export their projects directly to Google Docs for broader collaboration. This positions Canvas as a strong competitor to platforms like Microsoft Copilot, which is integrated into Microsoft 365 and provides AI-assisted writing and coding capabilities within familiar apps like Word and Excel. However, Canvas differentiates itself with a dedicated visual space that emphasizes rapid prototyping and live previews, particularly useful for developers working on web applications.
In parallel, Google has launched Audio Overview, an AI-powered tool that converts documents, research, and slides into engaging podcast-style discussions. Two AI hosts summarize key insights, draw connections between topics, and present information conversationally. The format offers a novel way to process dense information hands-free, competing with tools like Microsoft’s Reading Progress in Teams or Notion’s AI-generated summaries, which focus on text-based simplification. Audio Overview’s unique edge lies in its audio-first approach, enhancing learning and productivity while users multitask.
With Canvas and Audio Overview, Google is elevating Gemini beyond a standard AI assistant to a full-fledged creative and collaborative partner, standing toe-to-toe with AI offerings from Microsoft, Notion, and others.
Canvas and Audio Overview are starting to roll out today to Gemini and Gemini Advanced subscribers globally in English, with more languages coming soon.
