Google Cloud debuts persistent Gemini agents with their own Gmail and Drive for long‑running work

On October 8, at its “Gemini at Work 2026” event, Google Cloud introduced a new class of persistent Gemini agents designed for enterprise use. Unlike traditional chat-style assistants, these agents are provisioned with their own Gmail inbox, Calendar, and Drive storage, and are built to handle tasks that run for hours or even days without losing context. In this context, an “agent” means AI software that can autonomously gather information, send emails, and coordinate schedules based on high‑level instructions.

Enterprises are expected to use the agents to partially automate workflows that span multiple steps and people, such as contract review, project coordination, and ongoing customer email threads. At the same time, giving AI systems independent email accounts raises governance challenges, including the risk of misdirected messages, how communications should be logged for compliance, and how to prevent data leakage.

Google says administrators will get fine‑grained controls over permissions and audit logs in order to balance safety and productivity. The launch underscores how quickly the market is shifting from single‑shot chatbots to full agent platforms, and it intensifies competition with rivals like Microsoft that are building similar long‑running AI workers.