If you’re still one of many folks using Google Chat, then you might want to take note of Google’s latest upgrade—more specifically, the company announced that it’s bringing Ask Gemini functionality directly into Google Chat starting August 26, 2026, which improves its purpose as a hub for workspace collaboration.
As such, the new AI-based feature allows users to search across different Google services including Gmail, Drive, and Calendar, and even generate images, manage schedule events, and organize work into distinct sessions without leaving an ongoing chat flow. Ask Gemini can be activated easily through the Ctrl + g keyboard shortcut, or Command + g on macOS.
The update also replaces the existing Gemini side panel in Google Chat, which will be retired alongside access to Gems within the Chat interface. It should also be noted that previous side panel conversation history will not automatically migrate to the new Ask Gemini interface, although admins and permitted end users can export this data through Google Takeout.
The update will initially be available for users with English set as their primary Google account language, with support for additional languages planned for future updates. Non-English users will retain access to the legacy side panel for now.
