Ask HN: How useful is Gemini for Google Apps?

A user attempting to create a Google Slides presentation from a Google Doc using Gemini found the AI assistant unable to generate new documents or work on multiple slides at once, forcing them to use a different LLM to create a PPTX file and upload it to Google Drive. The experience highlights limitations in Gemini's integration with Google Workspace, frustrating users who expect seamless cross-app automation.

I recently wrote a Google doc to describe a presentation. I used a Heading 1 style for each "Slide N: Description" section, and it was otherwise cleanly formatted. Then I hit the magic Gemini button and asked more or less "Make me a Google Slides presentation based on this document" Gemini paraphrasing : "Oh, sorry, I can't create new documents in Google Drive". OK, I create a new blank Google Slides document. I press the magic Gemini button. After some preamble prompt BS, I paste my "Slides" document content, and ask it to create me some slides. Gemini paraphrasing : "Oh, sorry, I can only work on one slide at a time". WTF? I go to a different frontier LLM, I ask it to make me a PPTX file from my description which I downloaded from Google docs as markdown . After a few minutes I have a nice PPTX file. I upload that to Google Drive and open it. Google converts it to Slides. NOW, finally, I have the joy of improving one slide at a time with Gemini. Why does my workflow suck so bad here? There must be a better way Please help me HN. I'm also keen to hear what are some actual cool tricks that do work with Gemini and/or frustrations others have had. Let loose. Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48913970 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48913970 Points: 3 Comments: 1