Google Cloud Unveils Universal Gemini Agent with Dedicated Coworker Profiles

Google Cloud has revealed a universal workplace agent powered by Gemini, designed to handle multi-step assignments autonomously rather than simply responding to chat prompts. Unveiled by Google Cloud chief executive Thomas Kurian at the company's Gemini at Work event, the platform marks a notable shift toward giving artificial intelligence ongoing roles inside corporate teams.

Instead of requiring users to craft prompts for individual steps, the system is designed around outcome delegation. Workers assign a broader goal, such as compiling an event briefing, analysing operational data, or generating presentation collateral. The agent then breaks down the requirements, connects into back-office tools, and executes the steps in the background.

AI agents get their own corporate email and calendar

A standout aspect of the launch is the coworker setup. Organisations can assign an agent its own Google Workspace account, complete with a dedicated email address, calendar, Google Drive, and an entry in the staff directory.

By giving the agent its own cryptographically verified identity, Google aims to resolve major governance headaches around accountability. Rather than an AI acting invisibly under an employee's personal login, all actions taken by the coworker agent are logged separately, with administrators managing permissions and setting data access boundaries.

The system runs continuously in the cloud, meaning assignments can keep progressing across hours or days after staff close their laptops. It also coordinates between environments, working across Google Workspace tools like Docs, Sheets, and Gmail, as well as third-party software including Slack and Microsoft 365.

Behind the scenes, Google has incorporated smart routing that can direct sub-tasks to different models—including Anthropic's Claude alongside Google's own Gemini models—while enforcing real-time budget caps to stop unexpected computing bills.

What this means for Australian businesses

For Australian small and medium enterprises, the release highlights where daily workplace software is heading:

• Moving from chatbot prompting to task delegation: Instead of staff copying text back and forth between tools, upcoming software will expect staff to act more like managers delegating outcomes. Teams should start documenting standard operating procedures so automated workflows have clear guidance to follow.
• Easier tracking and access control: Assigning dedicated accounts to AI tools helps business owners solve the headache of shared passwords and rogue staff logins. You can treat an agent like a contractor, giving it only the folder access it needs and revoking permissions instantly if required.
• Cost governance built in: Autonomous tools running for hours can quickly run up API bills. Look for systems that provide hard spend caps per project before letting autonomous agents loose on complex tasks.