A spelling and grammar checker that checks your work for typos and grammatical mistakes is already available in Google Docs. However, Google has recently launched a more sophisticated AI-based solution that will improve the readability of your documents. The new Proofread tool, which was unveiled on Tuesday, can assess your writing for style, tone, and readability and make suggestions for how to make it better.
What does it offer?
The drawback is that not all Google Workspace users or even regular Google Docs users can access Proofread. For the time being, the tool is only available to users of Google Workspace Enterprise and is only available as a Duet AI add-on.
While declining to provide further details, a Google representative did inform ZDNET via email that “[Google] will be releasing additional offerings over the coming months for other customer segments, including small and medium-sized businesses and consumers.”
For the time being, if your company or organisation employs Duet AI, it would be worthwhile to investigate Proofread to see whether it can improve the calibre of your documents.
In addition to the customary grammar and spelling checks, Proofread will provide the following types of review suggestions:
- Concision: Write more succinctly and concisely
- Active voice: Help your readers understand what you’ve written
- Wording: Use the appropriate context to make words sound more formal or energetic.
- Sentence Split: Divide large, complex sentences into smaller ones to make your paper easier to read.
Google’s Increasing AI Efforts
The recommendations provided by Proofread are merely that—recommendations. You can review each one and choose to accept or reject it, just like you can with any other spelling or grammar checker. So that they don’t encroach on the text of your work, all corrections are suggested and presented in the Proofread sidebar. Additionally, you can limit and customise the kinds of ideas you see by using filters.
The option will be turned on by default if the Proofread add-on is active. However, each user can control it independently in Google Docs by choosing Proofread under Tools. Simply click the icon that looks like an A and a checkmark to display the Proofread sidebar. When writing suggestions are available, a blue dot will show up next to the icon.
Google has been attempting to incorporate artificial intelligence into many of its important products in light of all the talk about it. You may use an AI-powered feature in Google Docs, Google Slides, and Gmail to write or edit content based on your own description. You may experiment with generative AI in Google Workspace and the Google search engine thanks to Google Labs.
