Collaborating in Google Drive? Gemini can catch you up on changes made to your files now

If you collaborate with other people on the same Google Drive files, a new AI-powered feature will help you stay on top of any changes made while you’re away.

Google recently announced a new feature called Catch me up. Starting Wednesday, Google said, Gemini can tell when changes are made to files in your Google Drive since you last viewed it and give you an overview of what’s new. 

Also: Google hits pause on AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ after user complaints

This includes edits to Google Docs, comments on Docs, Sheets, Slides, and more. Google added that Gemini’s summaries might not be comprehensive, but will highlight changes that “may be helpful and important.” 

The ability to summarize file changes comes just days after Google introduced a Gemini feature that watches Drive videos for you.

You’ll know you have access to this feature when you see a new Catch me up button under “ask Gemini” at the top of your Google Drive folder. This button will be beside the existing “summarize a folder in Drive” and “learn about a file in Drive” buttons. You’ll see the summary in the Gemini side panel (the same side panel that shows email summaries in Gmail).

You can also see changes to just a specific file at any time by looking for what Google calls the “catch me up activity indicator” on files in your list. 

Also: Gemini can now watch Google Drive videos for you – including work meetings

If you use the main synopsis, you’ll see a “high-level overview of important changes across documents from your Drive,” but if you use the individual file option, you’ll see “a synopsis of the main changes and comments” in a particular file since it was last opened.

The feature is only available in English right now. While Google announced Catch me up yesterday, the company said it could take up to 15 days for the feature to reach all users. 

If you’d rather not see Gemini in your Google Drive (or in any Workspace products for that matter), you can turn it off. Head to your Gmail settings (for some reason, this isn’t available in Drive settings) and find the General tab. Scroll down until you see “Google Workspace smart features.” From there, you’ll see a toggle to turn it off. 

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