google ramps up its ‘ai in the workplace’ ambitions with gemini enterprise

Google Launches Gemini Enterprise AI Platform

Alphabet’s Google officially introduced Gemini Enterprise on Thursday, a robust AI platform tailored for business applications. This launch signifies Google’s intensified competition with leading companies like Anthropic and OpenAI within the rapidly expanding market for AI tools designed for professional environments.

Early Adopters of Gemini Enterprise

Several organizations have already begun utilizing Gemini Enterprise. These include Figma, a prominent software design company; Klarna, a leading “buy now, pay later” provider; Gordon Food Service, a major foodservice distributor; Macquarie Bank, an Australian financial institution; and Virgin Voyages, a cruise operator. Virgin Voyages has notably implemented over 50 specialized AI agents capable of autonomously executing tasks within the Gemini Enterprise system.

Evolution of Google’s Enterprise AI Offerings

Gemini Enterprise represents an advancement over Google’s previous AI initiatives for businesses. However, Google emphasizes that this is not simply a rebranding exercise. Despite the evolving and occasionally overlapping terminology associated with its Google Workspace enterprise brand, this is a distinct offering.

In February 2024, Google Workspace integrated the Gemini branding and introduced generative AI products termed Gemini Enterprise as add-ons. These add-ons were later discontinued as AI features were incorporated directly into Workspace Business and Enterprise plans.

A Secure and Independent Platform

The newly launched Gemini Enterprise is not an add-on to Workspace. Instead, it operates as a separate, secure platform under Google Cloud. It functions as an AI agent toolkit, providing companies with the resources to develop and deploy their own AI assistants.

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian characterized it as “the new front door for AI in the workplace” in a recent blog post.

Capabilities and Integration

Gemini Enterprise empowers businesses to securely create, share, and implement AI agents for diverse tasks across departments like sales, marketing, engineering, human resources, and finance.

For the first time, these AI agents can access, integrate, and analyze data from internal systems alongside Google AI tools, such as Code Assist and Deep Research, all within a unified workflow.

Connectivity and Tools

Interaction with Gemini Enterprise occurs through a chatbot interface that connects to a user’s data sources. This includes Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and business applications like Salesforce and SAP.

The platform incorporates Google’s Gemini AI models, alongside pre-built agents for research and data analysis, a no-code tool for automation, and a centralized governance system for agent management, security, and auditing.

Pricing Structure

Access to this new AI platform comes at a cost. The annual Gemini Enterprise standard and “plus” editions are priced starting at $30 per user per month.

A more affordable Gemini Business annual plan, designed for smaller businesses or departments, is available for $21 per user per month. This business edition launches Thursday and includes a 30-day free trial.

Competition in the Enterprise AI Market

Gemini Enterprise signifies Google’s ongoing efforts to increase its market share in the enterprise AI sector, which is becoming increasingly competitive with the rise of generative AI.

Companies like Anthropic and OpenAI have established enterprise products and secured significant clients.

Competitor Landscape

OpenAI reports over 5 million business users of its ChatGPT Enterprise product, launched in 2023. Deloitte recently announced plans to deploy Anthropic’s Claude chatbot to its nearly 500,000 employees globally.