OK, Google. You have our attention.

Google recently made a series of moves that show just how serious they are about catching up in the generative AI race. They unveiled several impressive tools, paving the way for smarter content creation and distribution for communicators

Let's look at what's new and what it means:

Making AI standard, not special

AI is no longer a premium add-on: Google is bundling Gemini features with all Workspace Business and Enterprise plans. Gemini is Google’s next-generation AI foundation model. Its key strength lies in ‘multimodality,’ meaning it’s designed to work across different forms of data—from text to images, and potentially more complex inputs like audio or code. This is also AI-powered email drafting in Gmail, smart document creation in Docs, enhanced data analysis in Sheets, and automated meeting notes in Meet.

By slashing the price from $32 to $14 per user, they've made advanced AI capabilities accessible to teams of all sizes. This message is also clear: generative AI is essential for modern work

Video and images get an upgrade

Veo 2, Google's latest video generation model, has made significant progress in areas that AI-created videos struggle with such as basic physics and natural movement. From what I’ve seen, the video generations coming from it are remarkably realistic with more accurate physical interactions.

The model seems to understand cinematography concepts like tracking shots and depth of field as well. Tell it you want an "18mm lens" or "shallow depth of field," and it adjust accordingly. This gives communications teams the ability to create more sophisticated video content without extensive production resources. For example, if a marketing team wants a short promotional video showing a product in motion—say, a new sneaker launch—Veo 2 can simulate dynamic athletic movements more accurately than previous models.

Imagen 3, Google's updated image generation model, is also producing better composed images and handles diverse artistic styles more accurately.

NotebookLM continues to evolve

NotebookLM, Google's AI-powered research assistant, has added new capabilities. The key feature lets users engage directly with AI hosts during Audio Overviews - you can now join conversations and ask questions while listening to content summaries, similar to having an AI tutor who can explore topics based on your needs.

The platform also introduced a streamlined interface that organizes content into three areas (Sources, Chat and Studio) and launched NotebookLM Plus for organizations, which includes expanded features like increased Audio Overview capacity and enhanced team capabilities.

What this means for you

These developments signal three key shifts:

- AI is becoming essential infrastructure, not just a tool

- Creating sophisticated content is getting easier, putting more emphasis on strategy

- Teams need to aggressively develop AI literacy, because the changes will keep coming

I use these kinds of AI tools daily - from drafting content to analyzing research - and they're becoming true creative partners. Smart teams aren't just adopting AI, they're reimagining how it can enhance their strategic vision and creative execution.