Tech Desk 
Mar 18, 2025
Google has launched two new features for its Gemini AI assistant: Canvas and Audio Overviews. The features are designed to assist users in coding, writing, and even producing AI-generated podcasts.
Both of the features are now available today for Gemini and Gemini Advanced subscribers.
Google’s Canvas features
Canvas is an innovative work environment in which users can write, edit, and code in real time. Canvas enables users to make drafts and collaborate with AI to enhance them.
For coding, it provides a live preview that reflects updates as users edit their code. This option simplifies coding by providing immediate feedback.
Google’s Audio Overview feature
The second feature, Audio Overview, converts text content into a two-host podcast conversation with AI-created hosts. Users can feed documents or slides into it, and Gemini will produce an audio conversation discussing the content.
Moreover, the feature debuted in Google's NotebookLM, but the group behind it left Google to launch their venture. Currently, Audio Overview only works in English, although Google intends to roll out support for additional languages shortly.
Google's Gemini AI competes with other AI tools such as OpenAI and Anthropic, which provide similar functionality.
OpenAI introduced a Canvas feature in October, and Google has now introduced a similar feature with the same name. In December, Google launched Deep Research, only for OpenAI to introduce the same feature name in February.
