From "AI that answers questions" to "AI that advances work instead of work".
In 2026, the competition for AI agents among companies is in full swing.
On July 29, 2026, Google announced that the personal AI agent "Gemini Spark" would be expanded to Google AI Pro users in Japan.
Previously limited to the top Ultra plans in Japan, it will also be rolled out to Pro plans in the coming weeks.
Following OpenAI's ChatGPT Work and Anthropic's Claude Cowork, Google has also stepped into the popularization phase of “AI that delegates work”.
What is Gemini Spark?
Gemini Spark is a 24/7 personal AI agent powered by Google.
In addition to answering questions in the chat, follow the user's instructions to proactively move your digital work forward.
The brain is powered by Gemini 3.5 and runs on Google's cloud, so you can keep working in the background while your computer is closed or your phone is locked.
There is no initial setup required, and the main feature is that it works seamlessly with Google Workspace tools such as Gmail, Google Docs, and spreadsheets.
Google has positioned Google AI Ultra/Pro users in both Japanese and English as a feature that changes the role of AI from “passive assistant” to “active partner.”
Expanded to Pro users in Japan
The point of this announcement is to expand the audience at once.
In Japan, Gemini Spark, which was previously limited to Ultra, will also be available on the Pro plan, which is easier for more people to sign up for.
Pro deployments are already underway in the US and are expected to begin rolling out in Japan in the coming weeks.
In other words, we are approaching the stage from "experimental features for some heavy users" to "agents that can be used on a daily basis".
Even in the official blog, it is introduced as a presence that helps busy everyday "I wish someone would do it", such as a child-rearing household where it is easy to overlook the contact email from the school.
What we can actually do
All you have to do to use it is ask them to do what they want you to do with the text.
All of the use cases we introduce are closely related to the daily details of digital work.
- Automatically add details to your itinerary spreadsheet when you receive a travel booking confirmation email
- Find local events during your stay and add them to your calendar for the days you have availability
- Find local events every Friday that you might be interested in and put them together into an updated document
- Organize wedding attendance checks, dietary restrictions, and draft catering recap emails
- Audit your invoice email every month to notify you of subscription increases or upcoming trials and draft cancellation emails
- Scan customer inquiries and create a draft response recommending a service or rate plan
- Create a stylistic guide from past emails and reuse it as a “ghostwriter” for future drafts
What we have in common is that we leave it up to "investigate, organize, and draft", and the final decision is made by a person.
Previously, chat AI was a tool that only worked while opening the screen and asking questions.
On the other hand, Gemini Spark is very different in that once you communicate the conditions, it will move on its own with the arrival of the email and the timing of the date.
Safety design is also valued
One of the things that AI agents tend to be anxious about is sending emails and making payments without permission.
Gemini Spark lets users choose which apps they want to work with and which features they want to enable.
In addition, it is designed to ensure that important actions, such as paying money or sending an email, are always preceded by a pre-confirmation.
It is also important in business use to be able to control the scope of delegation rather than leaving it to "delegate".
Even for personal use, it is safe to reduce the number of connected apps to the minimum necessary, and always confirm the sending and payment by yourself.
How to use it in business
It is often used not only as a personal convenience feature, but also in the daily work of small and medium-sized enterprises.
For example, organizing inquiry emails, preventing overlooks around billing and contracts, and preparing for internal events and travel arrangements.
However, when dealing with customer information or contract content, you need to draw a line on how far you want to show AI.
Rather than "delegate everything", "delegate to drafting and organizing, and send and judge" is more realistic as a first step in the introduction.
Positioning with other AI agents
In the AI market in 2026, AI that delegates tasks such as ChatGPT Work and Claude Cowork are emerging one after another.
Gemini Spark's strength is its deep integration with Google Workspace, such as Gmail, Docs, and Sheets.
For people who already use Google for email, calendars, and documents, the advantage is that it's easier to plug agents into existing workflows than to add new apps.
On the other hand, the design of authority management, log audit, and final confirmation points are indispensable for enterprise implementation.
Because the convenience of the individual is different from the safety operation as an organization.
If you want to integrate with non-Google business systems or proprietary apps, you need to consider the API design and permission design on the existing system side, not the agent alone.
Recap
Gemini Spark is a personal AI agent that keeps tasks moving in the background, not a chat AI that answers questions.
With this expansion of Pro for Japan, more people will be able to use the “24-hour AI partner”.
From travel arrangements and event searches to invoice checks and customer-facing drafts, you can take care of the details of your day-to-day business.
The AI industry is now shifting from “which is the smartest” to “how long and safely you can delegate work.”
When considering the introduction of AI agents and business automation, Makoto Tejima emphasizes the importance of designing including existing system integration, authority management, and human final checkpoints.
Whether it's automating in-house tasks, integrating with Google Workspace, or adding AI capabilities to existing systems, we've got you covered.
