Unlocking the Power of Google's AI Ecosystem: A Look at Gemini Studio, Canvas, and More
I've been using Gemini in AI Studio for a while now, but I just discovered Gemini Canvas—a new and surprisingly powerful tool built on the same Gemini LLM. Until today, I didn’t even know Canvas existed. After diving in, I can say it's an intuitive way to generate and preview interactive content, like dashboards, in a format that feels familiar and connected to the rest of Google’s ecosystem.
Why Google Has an Edge
What gives Google a real advantage is the deep integration with tools many of us already use—Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, and more. This native compatibility makes experimenting with AI feel much more seamless, especially for structured work.
Pro Tip: AI Studio + Google Sheets
Here’s something not many realize: in AI Studio, you can share a Google Sheet with Gemini, and it will natively read the structure of your data. From there, you can:
Describe what changes or analysis you want,
Provide new inputs or feedback,
And ask Gemini to output the result in TSV format.
Just copy that TSV back into your Sheet, and boom—it’s updated. No need to massage the data, no weird formatting bugs.
Real-World Use Case
For example, I recently used Gemini to conduct a peer review of my PM Guidebook. I created feedback prompts using different personas, asked Gemini to process them, and then output the consolidated feedback in TSV format. I pasted the results directly into my tracker in Google Sheets. It saved hours of manual work and helped me look at the feedback from multiple perspectives.
A Quick Look at Google’s AI Tools
While powerful, Google’s AI tools are still somewhat fragmented. Here are a few worth exploring:
- Gemini Canvas – https://lnkd.in/geKjdwvu
- NotebookLM – https://lnkd.in/gWAx_AAj
- ImageFX – https://lnkd.in/gdMvS_rP
- AI Studio – https://lnkd.in/gyBTRMZW
Each tool serves a different use case—image generation, coding, document interaction—but they don’t always feel connected. That said, it’s still early, and the foundation is promising.
It's Free—for Now
All of this is free to use at the moment, which makes it a great time to explore. Given the quality of these tools, I wouldn't be surprised if Google introduces a pricing model soon. Honestly, it would be justified.
Final Thought: You Get What You Put In
One thing I’ve noticed: most people say they’ve "tried ChatGPT" or similar tools. But usually, that just means they typed in a question or two and moved on.
The real value comes from iteration. You have to prompt often, explore edge cases, follow your curiosity. These tools aren’t magic—but if you treat them like collaborators and put in the effort, they can help you unlock serious value.
Like anything else, you get out what you put in.