Google Drive adds Gemini-powered PDF summary cards
Andy Walker / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Gemini can now read PDFs in Google Drive and create a summary card for quick viewing.
- The feature comes with buttons users can click to make Gemini take action on the PDF, such as creating a draft proposal.
- The update is rolling out now to all Workspace users.
Google Drive has been getting a lot of Gemini love recently. Google added the ability for Gemini to browse your files and even watch videos for you. Now, Google is rolling out a new feature that gives users instant summaries of their PDF files.
Google introduced PDF summary cards, which are a new AI-driven feature that proactively summarizes PDF content when a file is opened in Google Drive.
The summaries themselves include clickable actions like “Draft a sample proposal” or “List interview questions based on this resume,” two examples Google gave in their announcement. These actions launch Gemini in a side panel so users can get started on tasks without having to leave the document.
This isn’t the first time Google has tried to integrate Gemini with PDFs. We’ve had simple overviews for a while now, but the actionable AI suggestions, and the new card layout, are brand new.
Users can double-click any PDF to see the summary card. It appears within the overlay preview window instead of opening in a separate browser tab.
Google has been sticking Gemini into everything, from summarizing reports in Docs to drafting replies and email templates in Gmail. It can organize tasks in Calendar and analyze a spreadsheet in Sheets. Those are all great, but PDF summaries in Drive could be particularly useful for everyone’s productivity.
PDF summaries in Drive could be particularly useful for everyone’s productivity.
You don’t need to use the new AI summaries of your Drive PDFs. You can update your Drive settings to continue opening PDFs in a separate browser if that is what you prefer.
The feature supports over 20 languages at launch. It is available to Google Workspace customers on Business Standard, Enterprise Standard and Plus, and users with the Gemini Education plan. It is also available for anyone with the old AI Pro or Ultra add-ons.
