Gemini AI: Google Gmail Integration

This is part of my larger series on Gemini in Google Workspace as well as the broader conversation on AI tools for education.

I have been reticent to share much here on the generative AI explosion with so many folks diving headfirst into tools or into fears. And there have suddenly become so AI in education “experts” that I don’t recall exploring the implications years ago. There are genuine voices worth hearing like former Google employee, Timnit Gebru, who wrote a AI ethics report that got her removed. And there is also Joy Buolamwini, who I had the pleasure of meeting at NYC schools computer science event I presented at. And with so many ethical and equity considerations, I think it is crucial to get into AI literacy first. We have our own courses for teachers in NYC, but for other folks, I recommend Google’s Generative AI for Educators beginner course, Common Sense Education’s AI Literacy Lessons, and the curriculum supplied by Day of AI.

Overview

For those unaware, Gemini is Google’s generative artificial intelligence tool capable of creating text-based content and and newly generated images based on your prompts. They formerly had a tool called Bard, but this is their updated and enhanced version. There are many other AI tools out the, but I think the key differentiator is that Gemini can be fully integrated into Google Workspace. That means you can use it with Drive, Docs, Slides, Gmail, etc. How you or students choose to use or limit its use is an important decision. And having access to it throughout is also not automatically free. There’s a monthly fee per user. If you do decide to use it though, here are to ideas to help you use it effectively. Watch until 4:50 for an overview on Gemini and creating effective prompts.

Summarizing

One of the biggest issues with the advent of electronic mail is the mass array of information we receive. I definitely fall more into the category of email inbox at zero instead of allowing some red dot with a number in the thousands to drive me mad. But either way we can all fall guilty of rushing through information or missing it entirely. If only there was a way to summarize emails and determine what was most important, they said fully prepared like some infomercial salesman ready to pull out a new gizmo. Gemini can at least help somewhat with all of that. I’ll show you some of the ways you can use it for summarizing your email content. Start at 4:50 and go until 11:15 for the section on summarizing.

Responding

Okay, so you’ve got the reading of email info under control. It’s time to respond. But what do I say? How do I strike the proper tone to parents or an administrator? What do I need to say if I’m planning a field trip? What if I am just notoriously bad at writing casually and with massive grammatical errors? Well, the Ron Popeil of EdTech is here to help (bonus to those who get that reference). Here is an overview of responding with Gemini beginning at 11:15 and ending at 18:15.

Help + Meet

Just in case you need some extra assistance on figuring out how to manage other Gmail features like setting an auto-reply or blocking someone, Gemini can show you how to do that to (it slices, it dices, it juliennes fries). Gemini isn’t yet ready to help with chats, but it can help a bit with Google Meet too. So I will show you that as well starting at 18:15.

And once again in infomercial speak, “But wait! There’s more!” Or at least there soon will be as I show you more of what can be done with Gemini in Google Workspace in future posts.