Gemini Product Updates

Gemini

• • Gemini 3 Pro and Flash are now available in the Gemini app (as well as AI Mode in Google and NotebookLM). These can be selected using the model selector in the Gemini App:

    • "Fast": Gemini 3 Flash (without reasoning)

    • "Thinking": Gemini 3 Flash (with reasoning)

    • "Pro": Gemini 3 Pro (with reasoning)

  • "Nano Banana Pro" (powered by Gemini 3 Pro) is now available for improved image generation and editing (Gemini, NotebookLM, Vids) -- in particular, this model significantly improves text rendering, enabling use for things like visualizations, flowcharts, infographics, etc.

  • Gemini is now incorporated directly into the Chrome browser, which can be used to ask questions about particular tabs or documents. This includes enterprise data protection on pdx.edu accounts since Gemini is a core service.

  • The PSU logo should show up in the upper right corner in the Gemini app, making it easier to identify that you're logged into the correct account to receive data protection.

  • New LaTeX features available in the Gemini app, including better rendering and the ability to export LaTeX formatted content to PDFs.

  • Deep research reports can now be run on Google Drive, Gmail, and Chat content, instead of just web content (in any combination of the four source types).

NotebookLM

• • NotebookLM now uses Gemini 3 (presumably Flash, given it used 2.5 Flash previously)

  • General chat improvements in NotebookLM (longer context window, conversation memory, and response improvements).

  • Notebooks now save conversation history (which can also be deleted in the chat window; chats are not shared between users in the Notebook).

  • "Discover Sources" now includes options to search your Google Drive as well as to conduct a deep research prompt to find sources.

  • New file formats are available for sources, including Google Sheets (finally!) and images (paid versions can also upload .docx files).

  • New options available for customizing video overviews

Gemini AI Pro for Education Add-on (paid)

• • Google Workspace Studio is now available to create automated workflows utilizing Google Workspace applications and Gemini prompts. This will soon be a core service available (free, not sure if there will be any difference in functionality) later in January.

  • Microsoft Word files (.docx) can now be uploaded as NotebookLM sources (in addition to the new file formats listed in the "NotebookLM" section)

  • Google Vids can now automatically add AI voiceover, script, and background music to imported slide decks.

  • The AI function in Google Sheets (=ai()) can now utilize Google Search to ground its outputs.

  • The side bar in Google Sheets can now handle multi-step requests to make several to changes to a Sheet at once.

  • Gmail has a new "Help me Schedule" button in the email editor to help propose times that you're available to meet.

  • The side bar in Google Docs can now be grounded in links in your document as well as your Google Drive content (in addition to the content of the document itself).

  • Audio overviews can be created for PDFs opened in Google Drive.

  • Google Calendar can now suggest times that will work for all meeting participants (or those with limited conflicts).

  • Veo 3.1 is now used for AI avatars in Google Vids.

Gemini

• • Gem sharing is now available! Gems can be shared like other documents in Google Drive (as an editor or viewer), allowing anyone to use Gems that you've created

  • The new "Nano Banana" image editing model is now available in Gemini, which significantly improves the ability of Gemini to be able to hold context during image edits (e.g., you can edit elements of an image while retaining others -- not just regenerate images entirely)

  • Outputs from the 2.5 Flash model have been updated to improve organization and formatting

  • A new search function has been added to make it easier to find previous prompts

  • New "Guided Learning" setting that's more focused on diving deeper into subjects rather than trying to deliver an immediate answer

  • New "Storybook" mode to create illustrated storybooks from a prompt with narration

NotebookLM

• • Video Overviews are now available, which creates a video summary of your content similar to audio overviews (the podcast feature)

  • Multiple audio overviews can now be added to a Notebook

  • New Audio Overview formats now available to better tailor the audio

  • New study tools (and Studio interface) available: Flashcards, Reports, Quizzes

  • Pre-made OpenStax Notebooks have been created for a set of six OpenStax textbooks

Gemini AI Pro for Education Add-on (paid)

• • Additional languages available for Google Meet "Take Notes for Me" 

  • Larger context window (1M tokens) when analyzing a PDF in Google Drive.

  • You can now listen to Google Docs using the Tools --> Audio menu item

  • New pre-built "Productivity Planner" gem can be used in conjunction with scheduled actions to connect with Google Workspace and generate daily and weekly updates.

  • You can now ask Gemini questions about meeting content directly in Google Meet calls

  • Google Vids can now create videos starting from an image (similar to in the Gemini application)

  • More conversational formula generation in Google Sheets

Other

• • Google released a paper measuring the environmental impact of Gemini prompts (primarily focused on average text prompts, not image or video)

  • Google Vids AI features are available to all faculty/staff through 5/21/26 (even without a Google AI Pro license)

Gemini

• • Gemini 2.5 Pro now out of "preview" (GA release)

  • New Gemini features in Google Classroom

  • "Significantly higher" Gemini 2.5 daily limits

Gemini AI Pro for Education Add-on (paid)

• • New "Catch me up" feature at the top of Google Drive that will provide updates on documents updated in the last week

  • New Google Drive feature to handle basic organizational tasks in Drive using the Gemini side panel

  • Gmail mobile app now includes AI-generated summaries

  • Videos opened in Drive now have a side panel to ask questions about the video

  • The Google Sheets side panel can now generate fully editable charts (rather than images)

  • New feature in Google Vids to create a video from a slide deck, which can then be used in conjunction with scripts, Veo 3, and avatars (File --> Import Slides)

  • New AI Avatar feature in Google Vids to create a virtual presenter

  • Veo 3 now available for video generation in Gemini and Google Vids (in Gemini, includes an "image-to-video" function)

  • New Google Sheets AI function (=AI(prompt,range)) to run a prompt against a range of cells (e.g., sentiment analysis, identifying themes, creating test data, etc.)

Gemini

• • Gemini is now a "core" service for all edu users (not just employees). That means that in addition to not being used to train the model or for human review, Gemini is covered with the same terms of service that covers other core Google Workspace applications such as Gmail, Google Drive, etc.

  • Gemini 2.5 Flash now available

  • Deep Research now uses Gemini 2.5 Flash

  • Deep Research can now have PDFs, images, and Google Drive documents uploaded as additional sources, allowing it to conduct research on both public content and private content provided by the user

  • The free version of Gemini now allows spreadsheet uploads (in addition to images, Google Docs/Sheets, and PDFs)

  • Gemini Live is now available on the mobile app, which supports voice conversations, screen sharing, and camera sharing.

  • More integration of LearnLM into Gemini (e.g., the "create a practice quiz" feature). Some of this may still be rolling out  but more information about it can be found in the article "Learn in newer, deeper ways with Gemini"

  • Improvements to the "Canvas" function, including the ability to create code and applications, web pages, infographics, and audio overviews (like in NotebookLM).

  • Simplified model selection -- the model list has been reduced to just 2.5 Flash and 2.5 Pro, and the Deep Research function has been moved to the bottom of the page (next to the Canvas button)

NotebookLM

• • NotebookLM is now a "core" service for all edu users. That means that in addition to not being used to train the model or for human review, Gemini is covered with the same terms of service that covers other core Google Workspace applications such as Gmail, Google Drive, etc.

  • NotebookLM now uses Gemini 2.5 Flash

  • NotebookLM now has a mobile app on Android and iOS

  • New "Discover" option to look for search for additional sources based on a prompt

  • Multimodal PDFs as sources to draw from text, image, and graph content

Gemini Education Add-on (paid)

• • The usage model for Gemini Education has been changed from 1000 prompts/month for Gemini 2.5 Pro to 100 prompts/day (the free version is still limited to 5 Gemini 2.5 Pro prompts/day)

  • In Gemini, the "Advanced" plan has been rebranded as "Pro" (indicated in the upper right corner of the page)

  • Deep Research now uses Gemini 2.5 Pro (or Flash)

  • Gems can now be used in the side panel in Google Workspace applications (e.g., if you have a gem trained to write emails in a particular way or analyze documents in a particular way)

  • Gemini in the Gmail mobile app can now be used to create/delete/edit events on your calendar

  • Gemini in Google Sheets can now be used to add dropdowns, pivot tables, and filters

  • Gemini in Google Drive can now start conversations based on one or multiple documents dragged over to the side panel (e.g., related project documents)

Gemini

• • Gemini is now a "core service" for all EDU users (data protection + Google Workspace terms of service for both students and employees)

  • New models: Gemini 2.5 Pro (5 uses/day), Deep Research (5 uses/month)

  • Audio overviews now available in Gemini (similar to the audio overview feature in NotebookLM)

  • New "Canvas mode" to enable more active review, revision, and follow-up on responses

  • Gems are now available for all Gemini users (previously just paid add-ons)

NotebookLM

• • NotebookLM is now a "core service" for all EDU users (data protection + Google Workspace terms of service for all users)

  • Mind map functionality to automatically generate a mind map from source materials in the Notebook and use it to ask questions or find sources

  • Output language selector for generated text

Gemini Education Add-on (paid)

• • New models: Gemini 2.5 Pro (unlimited use), Deep Research (20 uses/day)

  • A new "summary" block can be added at the top of Google Docs to summarize the content of the document

  • Emails in Gmail can be now be written in additional languages using the "help me write" function (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German)

  • Documents uploaded in Google Chat can be summarized

  • Calendar events can be added based on the text of an email in Gmail

Paid add-ons (Gemini Education add-on unless otherwise specified)

• • • New model selection available:

    • Gemini 2.0 Flash (general LLM, faster)

    • 2.0 Pro Experimental (general LLM, more accurate)

    • 2.0 Thinking Experimental ("Reasoning" model)

    • 1.5 Pro with Deep Research (deep dive with reference)

  • You can now upload spreadsheets in gemini.google.com for analysis (in addition to PDFs, images, presentation files, and Google Drive files)

  • Upgrade to "NotebookLM Plus", which provides:

    • Additional capacity for audio overviews, queries, notebooks, and sources/notebook

    • Customizable style and length for prompt responses

    • Shared notebook usage analytics

  • (Gemini Education Premium) "Takes notes for me" in Google Meet now proposes next steps/action items and timestamp references

Free version

• • New model selection available:

    • Gemini 2.0 Flash (general LLM, faster)

    • 2.0 Thinking Experimental ("Reasoning" model)

  • You can now upload PDFs for analysis (in addition to images, presentation files, and Drive files); the free version cannot currently upload spreadsheets