Google expands its testing pool of users for generative AI Docs and Gmail by over 10 times

In mid-March, Google announced plans to add generative AI features to its Workplace apps, specifically for Google Docs and Gmail. At that time the company said it would open up testing outside of Google to a limited number of "trusted testers" outside of its own employees. Today, Google revealed even more people can now try out those AI features in Docs and Gmail.

In a post on the Google Workplace Twitter account, the company said it would "expand our trusted tester program for #GenAI capabilities by more than 10X today." Of course, we didn't know exactly how many outside testers had begun checking out the AI features in the first place, but we would imagine adding over 10 times that number is a huge expansion for this testing pool.

These AI features will reportedly let people create a draft of a document or an email with just a few text prompts in order to save time compared to writing a full draft manually. Google said back in March it plans to further expand these features to "small businesses, enterprises, and educational institutions in more countries and languages" in the coming months.

Of course, Microsoft also has plans to add AI features in its Office apps, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and more with its Microsoft 365 Copilot service. Right now, the company is testing it with a very select and small group of businesses but plans to expand that test to more companies in the months ahead.