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Google Cloud Search for G Suite adds natural language processing for more intuitive lookup

Back in February, Google rolled out Cloud Search, a smart assistant that surfaced relevant Drive files and emails for G Suite. The mobile and web apps feature a feed that intelligently updates throughout the day. In addition, Cloud Search also has a search feature that today is getting updated with natural language processing (NLP) technology.

Besides its feed, Cloud Search allows users to search through their organization’s various Google services. Starting today, this feature is adding NLP to surface Google Drive documents, Calendar events, contacts, emails, and Google Sites through colloquial queries like “Docs shared by Mary.”

If you’re looking for a Google Doc, you’re more likely to remember who shared it with you than the exact name of a file. Now, you can use NLP technology, an intuitive way to search, to find information quickly in Cloud Search.

Meanwhile, Google is applying its machine learning prowess to answer queries like “What docs need my attention?”

Besides finding documents, Cloud Search can also answer questions about people, much like the Knowledge Graph in regular Google Search. For instance, users can ask “Who’s Bob’s manager?” to reveal a card with the contact details for the correct person.

Gartner research notes that by 2018, 30 percent or more of enterprise search queries will start with a “what,” “who,” “how” or “when.”

The updated NLP features and the Cloud Search service is available to Business or Enterprise editions of G Suite starting today.


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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com