Google Gemini Now Automatically Summarizes PDFs and Suggests Next Steps in Drive

Google's Gemini, an advanced AI tool integrated with Google Drive, now automatically summarizes PDFs and provides actionable suggestions, streamlining the process of interacting with lengthy documents. Last year, Google introduced Gemini’s capability to summarize PDFs upon request, but the latest update adds more robust features that enhance productivity and efficiency. Announced on Thursday, the new PDF summary cards for Gemini are designed to make managing and extracting key information from PDFs much easier. When you open a PDF stored in Google Drive, Gemini will automatically generate a summary of its contents and present a series of suggested next actions. These might include drafting a proposal, creating a list of interview questions from a resume, or even generating a quick overview of the document’s main points. If you select one of these options, Gemini will open a side panel to assist you with the chosen task. "This feature saves you time by giving you the gist of your files and helps you get started using Gemini faster by surfacing relevant, clickable action options," Google stated in a recent blog post. I tested the new feature with a 120-page document related to a grant application for a local organization. Gemini condensed the document into a concise, eight-bullet point summary, totaling about 500 words. This not only made the information more digestible but also provided follow-up prompts that guided me on what aspects of the grant to focus on and what it encompasses. This enhanced functionality is now available in 20 languages, making it a useful tool for a global user base. To access the summary cards, simply double-click on a PDF in your Google Drive file list. The summary card will appear next to the document’s content, similar to how comments are displayed. Initially, when Gemini was launched in Workspace, opening PDFs in Drive required a new browser tab, allowing users to keep Gemini open in the side panel of Drive. However, with this update, PDFs now open in an overlay preview within Drive itself. If you prefer the older method, you can change this setting in Drive. The PDF summary card feature is available to several subscription tiers, including Business Standard Plus, Enterprise Standard Plus, Google AI Pro, and Ultra subscribers. It is also accessible to those with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on, or anyone who has already purchased the Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-ons. For those looking to stay updated on the latest tech advancements and tips, consider subscribing to our Tech Today newsletter, where you can receive the morning’s top stories directly in your inbox. These enhancements to Gemini underscores Google's commitment to integrating AI solutions that improve user experience and efficiency in daily tasks. Whether you’re working on a complex project or simply need to quickly review a document, Gemini’s new PDF summary cards are a valuable addition to your toolkit.