Google's Gemini Enterprise agent handles workplace tasks for business users

Google unveiled Gemini Enterprise at its 'Gemini at Work 2026' event on 8 October, introducing a single agent, meaning AI that completes a task with several steps for you, not just one answer, that works across Gmail, Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Chat and Calendar. It is included at no extra cost in existing Workspace Business and Enterprise subscriptions, though it is currently in private preview.

What happened

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian announced the Gemini Agent as a consolidation of what were previously separate tools: a chatbot, Workspace integration and a coding assistant. Instead of giving the agent step-by-step instructions, you give it a goal and it plans the work itself.

Key details from the announcement:

• The agent selects the right AI model for each task on its own, including Google's own Gemini models and Anthropic's Claude. You can also choose a model yourself.
• It runs continuously in the cloud, even after you close your laptop, and can spin up temporary sub-agents for complex tasks.
• It is accessible from the web, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Slack and Microsoft 365.
• It connects to tools including Jira, Confluence, Git, BigQuery, Databricks, Postgres and Snowflake.
• It can also connect via MCP, a connector that lets AI use your apps such as Drive, Slack or Notion, to internal or external company systems.
• A tasks inbox shows the agent's thinking process, which sub-tasks it delegated, which skills, meaning saved sets of instructions that teach AI to do one job your way, it loaded, and its progress.
• Every action the agent takes is logged in an audit trail attributed to the agent, not to an individual employee.

Google also announced industry-specific versions in preview: one for financial services (with access to FactSet, LSEG, S&P Global and SEC filings) and one for legal teams (importing permissions from document management systems such as iManage or NetDocuments). Versions for government, healthcare and retail are planned.

Sundar Pichai said at the event that Gemini has over 1 billion monthly active users and that nearly 90% of Fortune 100 businesses now use Gemini Enterprise. Early testers included On, Shopify and PayPal.

What it means for your work

• You can assign the agent a goal in plain language, such as coordinating a meeting or drafting a report, and it handles the steps without you specifying each one.
• The agent can be set up as a "Coworker Agent" with its own company email address, calendar and storage, appearing in your company directory like a team member.
• A tasks inbox lets you monitor exactly what the agent is doing at each step, so you stay in control.
• Actions are logged separately from your own activity, giving your team a clear record of what was done by automation, meaning a workflow that runs by itself when something happens, versus a person.
• Flexible spend controls, including real-time spend caps, are available to help companies manage costs.

What to do now

1. Check with your IT or Google Workspace admin whether your organisation has a Workspace Business or Enterprise subscription, as that is the requirement for access at no extra cost.
2. Ask your admin to request access to the private preview if your organisation qualifies.
3. If you use industry-specific tools in finance or legal, ask whether the relevant industry version is available to your team.
4. Note that a consumer launch date has not been announced, so personal Google accounts are not included yet.

The agent is rolling out to business customers first; keep an eye on your Workspace admin console for when it becomes available to your organisation.