Google launched Gemini Spark, an always-on AI assistant designed to help users manage their digital lives by handling online to-dos, summarizing email inboxes, and organizing personal information [1, 2]. The AI integrates with Google productivity apps such as Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, and Slides to automate work-related tasks and personal planning [1, 2].
Unlike traditional AI assistants, Gemini Spark runs on virtual machines in the cloud, allowing users to close their laptops while the AI continues to operate in the background. At Google I/O in May 2026, CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted this feature by saying, "yes, you can close your laptop" while Gemini Spark carries on [1].
In early use, the assistant scans emails and calendar events to create daily summaries of top tasks and drafts plans for activities, including suggesting weekend plans and event organization [1, 2]. It can generate detailed event plans with guest lists, venue information, email invitations, and theme ideas based on the user's personal data [2]. One example showed Gemini Spark identifying the user's live-in boyfriend as a "close friend and frequent companion," making him a top guest list addition, although it did not include the user themselves on the list for a karaoke party capped at 15 guests [2]. The AI stated, "Your travel history and emails identify [my partner’s name] as a close friend and frequent companion, making him a natural first addition" [2].
Gemini Spark became available as a beta to subscribers of Google's AI Ultra plan, a $100 monthly subscription service, during the week of the Google I/O conference in May 2026 [2].
As of today, August 19, 2026, Google continues to develop and expand Gemini Spark’s capabilities within the AI Ultra subscription framework.
