Collaborate with robots Gemini gets new coding and writing tools, plus AI-generated podcasts Gemini is absorbing features from one of Google's coolest AI products. Ryan Whitwam Mar 18, 2025 3:40 pm | 7 Credit: Google Credit: Google Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreOn the heels of its release of new Gemini models last week, Google has announced a pair of new features for its flagship AI product. Starting today, Gemini has a new Canvas feature that lets you draft, edit, and refine documents or code. Gemini is also getting Audio Overviews, a neat capability that first appeared in the company's NotebookLM product, but it's getting even more useful as part of Gemini.Canvas is similar (confusingly) to the OpenAI product of the same name. Canvas is available in the Gemini prompt bar on the web and mobile app. Simply upload a document and tell Gemini what you need to do with it. In Google's example, the user asks for a speech based on a PDF containing class notes. And just like that, Gemini spits out a document.Canvas lets you refine the AI-generated documents right inside Gemini. The writing tools available across the Google ecosystem, with options like suggested edits and different tones, are available inside the Gemini-based editor. If you want to do more edits or collaborate with others, you can export the document to Google Docs with a single click.Canvas is also adept at coding. Just ask, and Canvas can generate prototype web apps, Python scripts, HTML, and more. You can ask Gemini about the code, make alterations, and even preview your results in real time inside Gemini as you (or the AI) make changes.Audio Overviews is not actually a new featureit debuted last year as part of a Google product called NotebookLM. The gist is that you upload some documents, and the AI assimilates the data to generate a conversation between two people who don't exist. Google likens this to a podcast-style discussion, and that's a fair description of what you get. Sometimes, the fake hosts even give the fake podcast a name. Gemini Audio Overviews. To use Gemini's Audio Overviews, just upload a document and look for the "Generate Audio Overview" button above the prompt bar. Be warned, creating the audio takes several minutes, even for a relatively small amount of text. This is similar to Audio Overviews in NotebookLM, but the feature has a little more to offer as part of Gemini.Audio Overviews is also integrated with Deep Research, the AI-powered agent that can peruse the Internet on your behalf. Google recently made Deep Research free for limited use, and now you can do more with those reports. When viewing the results of Deep Research (which also take several minutes to create), you'll now be able to generate an Audio Overview from the report.Google says both Canvas and Audio Overviews are available for all users globallyyes, even the free version of Google's AI. However, Audio Overviews only works in English for now. The company promises more languages later.Ryan WhitwamSenior Technology ReporterRyan WhitwamSenior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards. 7 Comments