Google Calendar gets a Gemini sidekick

Adding recurring meetings or hunting down an open slot on your calendar usually involves too much clicking around.

Google is now testing an AI-powered Gemini side panel inside Google Calendar, letting users check their schedule and create events simply by chatting with it. The feature is currently rolling out to early testers through the Google Workspace Labs program.

Chat your way through the workday

Users can access the panel by clicking the "Ask Gemini" icon in the top right corner of Calendar. From there, you can pick suggested prompts or type your own requests.

For example, you can ask "When is my next meeting with Emily?" or "How many meetings do I have on Monday?" You can also handle scheduling directly by telling it to "Add a weekly workout every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 AM."

Calendar is the latest piece of Google Workspace to get the side panel treatment, following rollouts across Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Chat. Google has not yet shared when the feature will become widely available.

Why it matters

Calendar is arguably where a conversational assistant makes the most sense. Glancing at overlapping blocks across a busy week is exhausting, but asking "Do I have an open hour this afternoon?" is effortless.

Google's strategy here is straightforward: put Gemini right beside your daily workflows instead of forcing you to open a dedicated chat window. That said, scheduling leaves zero room for AI hallucinations. Misinterpreting a time zone or double-booking a client carries real-world friction, so the tool will need near-perfect accuracy to win long-term trust.