Google Docs getting new AI-powered ‘Proofread’

In addition to other Workspace announcements around Chat and Meet at Cloud Next ’23 today, Google Docs is getting a new paid “Proofread” feature that replaces today’s Spelling and grammar check.

Google calls Proofread the “next generation of writing suggestions, powered by AI.” Besides spelling and grammar, Google Docs suggestions will cover:

• Conciseness: Suggestions for making your writing more concise 
• Active voice: Suggestions for making your writing more clear to readers
• Wording: Suggestions for making words sound more dynamic or formal in context
• Sentence Split: Suggestions for splitting up complex sentences to make your writing easier to read

It uses the same ‘A’ and ‘checkmark’ icon in the toolbar (next to Print). A blue dot appears in the top-left corner when writing suggestions are available. Tapping opens a side panel to review all suggestions and accept/reject. You can quickly browse suggestions by type.

This is meant to let you “more easily and quickly compose high-quality content in Google Docs.” It can be turned off from the Tools menu > Proofread.

It can help improve conciseness and make your documents clearer and easier to read.  These suggestions are non-intrusive and won’t clutter your document as you compose and collaborate — you can easily review all suggestions directly from the Proofread sidebar whenever you’re ready and decide which suggestions are most appropriate for you to accept.

Proofread is a paid Duet AI for Workspace Enterprise add-on feature and is rolling out now to those Google Docs users.

More on Google Docs: