Gemini

Category: AI Platform

Google's assistant, strongest where you already use Workspace.

Gemini is Google's assistant, available standalone and embedded across Workspace in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Meet, which is where most marketers actually encounter it. The paid consumer tiers add the stronger reasoning models, deeper research, higher limits on image and video generation, and the Flow video tool. For businesses, Workspace editions put it alongside your existing documents and mail with the admin and data controls that implies. Google runs genuine first-party MCP servers, but they belong to the Gemini Enterprise agent platform and Google Cloud rather than the consumer product, where Gemini is primarily an MCP client. Anything described as a consumer Gemini MCP server is community-built. Model naming has become genuinely confusing, with several versions live simultaneously and some restricted to vetted participants.

Our verdict

The Workspace integration is the whole argument and it is a strong one: AI that can see your actual documents, mail and calendar without you pasting anything into it removes most of the friction that stops people using these tools. For a team already on Google, that beats a better standalone model you have to copy and paste into. Deep research is good and the video generation through Flow is competitive. Three things to know. Model naming is a mess right now, with several versions available at once and no clear hierarchy, so compare on what you can actually access rather than headline numbers. The consumer product uses conversation data for improvement by default unless you turn activity off, while Workspace and Cloud terms differ, so check which contract you are under before putting client work in. And UK availability generally lags the US by weeks or months on new features. First-party MCP belongs to the Cloud and enterprise platform rather than the consumer tiers.

Best for: Teams already running Google Workspace who want AI in the documents and mail they already use rather than in another tab.

Pros

  • Embedded across Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Meet rather than a separate tab
  • Can work on your actual documents without copying anything in
  • Strong deep research and competitive video generation through Flow
  • Fully available in the UK, unlike several rivals' newer features
  • Workspace editions carry proper admin and data controls
  • Genuine first-party MCP on the Cloud and enterprise platform

Cons

  • Consumer tiers use conversation data for improvement by default unless activity is off
  • Workspace and Cloud terms differ, so check which contract covers your usage
  • Model naming is confusing, with several versions live at once
  • UK availability of new features typically lags the US
  • No first-party MCP server on the consumer product, despite community claims
  • GBP figures vary by source, so check when logged in from the UK

Pricing: Free, then paid tiers from around £4.49/mo (Freemium)

Rating: 4.5/5