According to the latest update, as predicted, Google has unveiled a Gemini-powered personal AI assistant that will work tirelessly in the cloud, and now we have a name for it—and no, it won’t come cheap.
According to the latest update, previous chatter had the Gemini personal AI agent going by the internal moniker of “Remy,” but during Google’s big I/O reveal on Tuesday, we got the assistant’s final name: Spark.
Industry observers note that rolling out “deliberately” to “trusted testers” this week, with a wider drop to Google AI Ultra subscribers next week, Spark is a 24/7 cloud-based AI agent that “navigates across your digital life.”.
The report highlights that give Spark a complex task and it will set off on its own to complete it, spawning sub-agents to tackle different aspects of its assignment as needed, according to Google. (Google hasn’t yet fully detailed how Spark’s permissions and approval controls will work.). During a pre-brief session, Google reps described how Spark will connect to all your core Google services and documents, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
The report highlights that the examples of tasks that Spark could perform include checking your inbox for messages from clients or customers, building student study guides that patch themselves automatically as fresh assignments come in, and writing email drafts based on data from Gmail, Google Docs, and other documents in your Google account.
The report highlights that that means Spark will eventually be able to access your Dropbox, check the status of Monday projects, or lend a hand with your Canva creations. Aside from its access to Google services, Spark will be getting a “whole set” of MCP (Model Context Protocol) connectors for third-party service providers, including Adobe, Asana, Box, Canva, Dropbox, HubSpot, Intuit, Monday, Pandora, Spotify, and Wix.
In a fresh development, that means Spark won’t be able to directly access files on your system, but it also means you won’t have to worry about Spark poking into personal or sensitive documents (like bank statements) in your various local directories. Spark will live in the cloud rather than on your desktop PC, similar to Claude Cowork.
Industry observers note that you could also include Spark in text chains or CC it on email threads. As with other personal AI agents we’ve seen, you’ll be able to communicate with Spark via text and email, meaning you won’t need to fire up an app to check in with the assistant.
As part of the ongoing story, the bottom line, though, is that you’ll need to cough up at least $100 monthly to have Spark at your side. (Sorry, AI Pro users.). Along with Spark comes a revamp of Google’s pricier AI Ultra plan, which will now start at $100 per month with a “top tier” capping out at $200 per month (down from the previous single-tier $250 AI Ultra rate).
As part of the ongoing story, look for Android Halo to arrive “later this year.”. After Spark’s initial arrival, Google plans to roll out a fresh UI space called Android Halo that’ll let you view live updates on Spark’s progress across its various tasks.
As part of the ongoing story, his coverage of artificial intelligence interrogates the most recent LLMs, and how they can be used at work and at home to be best prepared for the AI revolution. “AI is going to change our lives sooner than we think,” Ben writes. “Our best way to adapt is by using it every day.” Ben has been a PCWorld author since 2014, and has covered everything from laptops to security cameras before launching PCWorld’s AI beat. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature. Ben has been writing about consumer technology for more than 20 years, and now focuses his reporting on AI as it relates to the basic human experience.