Gemini is getting a bit more useful today. Google has begun rolling out an update that gives its chatbot the ability to generate files directly from the prompt bar. To use the new feature, all you need to do is tell Gemini what you want (for example, “create a budget”), and then tap the export button to download the resulting output in your desired format.
The list of supported file formats includes PDF, TXT, RTF and CSV. Of course, Google Docs and Slides are supported as well, as is Google Sheets. Gemini can also generate Microsoft Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, in addition to Markdown and LaTex files. For the uninitiated, LaTeX is a typesetting system for formatting scientific documents and journals. Nearly the entire scientific community relies on LaTeX, and Google’s decision to support the protocol is notable given OpenAI recently released Prism, an entire app dedicated to formatting LaTeX journals. Judging from the GIF Google shared alongside today’s announcement, Gemini understands how to use the system to generate diagrams, which should be particularly useful for students studying STEM subjects.
“Instead of copying, pasting and reformatting, this update will allow you to easily move your work into different applications,” Google says of the new feature. The company is rolling it out to all Gemini users, including those with individual Workspace accounts, worldwide. Google isn’t the first AI provider to offer more robust support for file exports. Anthropic’s Claude chatbot, for instance, has had the ability to edit and generate files, including Excel spreadsheets, since last September. Still, if you’re a frequent Gemini user, today’s update should come as a welcome addition all the same.
