The first month of 2026 came with a robust set of updates for Google Workspace. While January is often a quiet month for tech news, Google has released some major features to start the year, ranging from powerful new AI Agents in Workspace Studio to long-awaited controls for Google Forms. Here is a breakdown of the most exciting changes.
You can also check our video with all the updates:
The Era of AI Agents: Google Workspace Studio
The biggest announcement this month is the ability to use Google Workspace Studio to build custom AI Agents. These aren't just simple chatbots; they are designed to automate and extend your work by reasoning through problems and adapting to new information.
You can now create agents that:
Draft weekly updates for specific projects based on context.
Integrate with other toolsets and external APIs via webhooks.
Whether you need an agent to answer "What should I do today?" or handle complex reporting, Workspace Studio gives you the flexibility to build it.
Creative Tools: Google Vids & Google Flow
Video content creation gets a boost this month with updates to Google Vids and the introduction of Google Flow.
Portrait Mode in Google Vids: You are no longer limited to landscape video. Vids now supports portrait-size clips, making it easier to create engaging, mobile-friendly content for social media or internal updates.
Google Flow: This new AI-powered filmmaking tool is designed for creatives. It allows users to transform simple natural language prompts into high-definition videos in minutes. It includes granular admin controls and allows for iterative editing, so you can refine the video as you go.
Communication: Schedule Send in Chat
One of the most requested features from Gmail has finally arrived in Google Chat: Schedule Send.
You can now draft a message and schedule it to be sent at a later time. Just like in Gmail, Google will offer suggested times, or you can pick a custom date and time. This is perfect for working across time zones or respecting your team's off-hours while getting thoughts out of your head.
Google Forms: Finally, Response Limits!
Google Forms received two important updates this month:
Set Response Limits: You can now automatically close a form based on a specific date/time OR a maximum number of responses. If you only need the first 10 people to sign up, the form will close itself automatically. No more manual monitoring!
Granular Access Controls: All Google Forms are being upgraded to support granular sharing controls, replacing the old "open to all" settings. This ensures you have precise control over who can view and respond to your forms.
Smart Management: Meet & Calendar
Auto "Take Notes for Me": A new toggle in Google Meet settings allows hosts to have Gemini's "Take notes for me" start automatically for every meeting they host. You no longer have to remember to click the button when the meeting starts.
Secondary Calendar Owners: Secondary calendars (like "Team Holidays" or "Marketing Schedule") now have dedicated owners. These calendars will automatically appear in the owner's calendar list, ensuring they always have direct access to manage permissions and settings.
Get Started with 2026 Updates
From building your own AI workforce in Studio to finally capping responses in Forms, these updates are designed to save you time.
Have questions about setting up AI Agents or managing the new Google Flow tools? Contact the team at Cloudasta today.
Cloudasta, Google Workspace Productivity & Migration Experts
Your one-stop partner for seamless migrations, expert advisory, support, and training.
