Google is rolling out automated workflow capabilities to Opal, its AI-powered productivity tool, marking another step in the company's push to embed Gemini across its enterprise suite. The update, announced via TechCrunch, introduces what Google calls 'vibe coding' - letting users describe workflows in natural language rather than traditional automation builders. It's a direct shot at Microsoft Power Automate and Zapier, as Google bets that conversational AI can finally make workflow automation accessible to non-technical teams.
Google just made its latest move in the enterprise AI wars. The company's adding automated workflow capabilities to Opal, the AI productivity assistant it's been quietly building out over the past year. This isn't just another feature drop - it's Google betting that conversational AI can crack a problem that's plagued workplace automation for decades: making it simple enough for actual humans to use.
The new functionality leans heavily on Gemini, Google's large language model that's become the connective tissue across its product lineup. Instead of dragging boxes around a visual builder or writing code, users can apparently describe what they want in plain English. 'Send a Slack message when this spreadsheet updates' or 'summarize my meeting notes and add action items to my task list' - that kind of thing. Google's calling it 'vibe coding,' which is either brilliant branding or peak Silicon Valley depending on your tolerance for workspace jargon.
Timing matters here. Microsoft has been aggressively pushing Copilot across its entire stack, with workflow automation baked into everything from Teams to Dynamics. Salesforce just expanded Einstein AI into its flow builder. Even Notion added AI-powered automation blocks last quarter. The enterprise productivity space is having its ChatGPT moment, and nobody wants to be left building the old way.
What makes this particularly interesting is how it fits into Google's broader Workspace strategy. Opal isn't a standalone product - it's embedded throughout Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Calendar. Adding workflow automation creates a closed loop: your AI assistant can now not just answer questions or draft emails, but actually chain actions together across the Google ecosystem. That's valuable lock-in, and it puts pressure on third-party automation tools that have traditionally bridged gaps between apps.
