Google is integrating a new AI command line called “Ask Gemini” into Chat, which will gradually launch starting August 26. Users can access it via a keyboard shortcut and let Gemini search for files and appointments directly in the chat, draft texts, or summarize tasks. A paid business account is required, and the feature is initially only available in English.
Gemini gets its own command line in Chat
So far, the AI Gemini has only appeared in Google Chat as a narrow sidebar next to conversations. Starting August 26, Google replaces this sidebar with “Ask Gemini,” an input field in the middle of the chat program. A click on the “Shortcuts” menu item or the key combination Ctrl and G (on Mac, Command and G) opens the window.
Anyone typing a question or task there gets the answer without switching to another app. Google Drive already searches individual files for answers with Gemini. The new chat command line now additionally bundles this with emails from Gmail and appointments from the calendar in a single query. Gemini can also generate images, provide text drafts, or summarize several open conversations in one overview so nothing gets lost. The previous sidebar disappears, and old Gemini conversations from the earlier version are not carried over.
At launch, “Ask Gemini” also shows a kind of daily overview with unread messages and open tasks. Anyone planning their workday in the morning can see at a glance which chats still need a reply, without opening every conversation individually.
A keyboard shortcut saves switching between programs
In everyday use, the benefit shows up mostly in questions whose answer used to be spread across several programs. A caseworker looks up the last agreement shortly before a client meeting: instead of opening the inbox, calendar, and files separately, she types into the chat command line, “What did we last agree with client Müller?” Gemini searches emails, the relevant document, and the calendar entry at the same time and returns a short summary with links to the sources.
Such queries replace several separate searches and the back-and-forth between browser tabs, which saves time especially for recurring questions from colleagues or clients. It is also handy for following up on meetings: anyone who needs to summarize open points for several colleagues can ask the command line right afterward instead of scrolling through chat histories by hand. More generous usage limits apply until October 1, 2026. After that, the regular limits for search queries and generated content take effect.
Available only on business accounts, initially in English
The feature rolls out in stages: companies on the fast update channel see it starting August 26, while companies on the slower standard channel see it up to 15 days later. “Ask Gemini” is included in the Google Workspace plans Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus, as well as in the education add-on Google AI Pro for Education – no extra cost applies. Private free accounts and the basic Business Starter plan are left out. Anyone who wants to try the feature can follow these steps:
- Open Google Chat on a computer.
- Click “Shortcuts” in the left menu or press Ctrl+G (Mac: Cmd+G).
- Type the request in plain words – for example a search, a scheduling question, or a text draft.
- Check the answer and its source references in the window, and ask follow-up questions if needed.
One important limitation remains: the interface only works if the account is set to English. Google has not yet named a date for further languages.
What matters now is whether Google adds the German-language version quickly. Without it, the new command line stays a testing ground for individual English-speaking employees in most German offices for now. Anyone using the feature should also keep in mind that queries automatically draw on company emails and documents. Internal rules on handling customer and contract data therefore apply to the new command line as well.
