Google has announced another major Generative AI enhancement for Google Workspace. Beginning August 4, 2026, eligible Google Workspace users will be able to create a personal AI Avatar inside the Gemini app using their own face and voice.

This announcement is primarily aimed at Google Workspace Administrators, Google Workspace Partners, MSPs, IT Administrators, Security Teams, and Compliance Officers, because the feature is enabled by default for eligible organizations unless administrators disable it.

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Executive Summary

Google is introducing My Avatar in Gemini, an AI-powered feature that enables users to generate a secure digital version of themselves.

The avatar can:

• Look like the user
• Speak in the user's voice
• Be generated using AI
• Be used inside Gemini experiences
• Remain under the user's control
• Be disabled by administrators

Google states that this feature is designed with privacy and administrative controls in mind, and only the individual user can create, manage, or delete their own avatar.

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Rollout Timeline

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What is "My Avatar"?

"My Avatar" is an AI-generated digital identity created from:

• Selfie / face
• Voice sample
• AI processing

The generated avatar can reproduce the user's:

• facial appearance
• expressions
• speaking voice

Google recently expanded its AI media capabilities across Workspace, including AI-generated videos and personal avatars for business users.

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Why Google is Introducing It

Google wants users to:

• create presentations faster
• create AI videos
• send AI-generated messages
• appear in videos without recording every time
• improve business communication
• automate repetitive recordings

This follows Google's broader expansion of Gemini throughout Workspace, including Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Drive, Slides, Vids, and NotebookLM (now renamed Gemini Notebook).

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Which Customers Receive It?

Eligible Workspace editions include AI-enabled business and enterprise plans that support the Gemini app. The feature depends on both Workspace licensing and Gemini availability.

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Eligibility Requirements

A user must satisfy ALL of the following:

✔ Age 18+

✔ English as primary language

✔ Gemini App enabled

✔ My Avatar enabled

If any requirement fails:

The feature will not appear.

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Default Setting

This surprises many administrators.

Starting July 16:

My Avatar = ON

by default.

Even if administrators never configured it.

However…

If Gemini itself is disabled…

then the Avatar option may still appear inside Admin Console but users cannot use it.

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Important Administrator Controls

Admins can:

✓ Enable

✓ Disable

✓ Apply by Organizational Unit (OU)

✓ Apply by Group

✓ Audit changes

✓ Re-enable later

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Where is the Setting?

Google Admin Console

↓

Generative AI

↓

Gemini App

↓

My Avatar in Gemini

↓

Checkbox

↓

Save

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How to Disable Organization-wide

1. Login as Super Admin
2. Open Admin Console
3. Navigate to

Generative AI

↓

Gemini App

↓

My Avatar

4. Remove checkmark
5. Save

Done.

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Disable Only for Specific Departments

Examples:

Enable for:

• Marketing
• HR
• Training

Disable for:

• Finance
• Legal
• Accounts
• Government Projects
• Healthcare

Google supports applying Gemini-related controls to Organizational Units or Groups.

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Who Owns the Avatar?

Only the user.

Administrators cannot:

❌ Create it

❌ Edit it

❌ Delete it

Users must manage their own avatar.

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Security Model

Google states the avatar is:

• securely stored
• linked to the user's account
• protected by Workspace security
• managed using Workspace administration

Google has also introduced centralized AI governance through the AI Control Center for Workspace administrators.

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Privacy Considerations

Organizations should evaluate:

Employee Consent

Face Biometrics

Voice Biometrics

Internal AI Policies

Data Governance

Industry Regulations

Legal Approval

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Industries That May Disable It

Many organizations are expected to disable the feature, including:

Banks

Hospitals

Law Firms

Government

Military

Insurance

Financial Institutions

Healthcare

Educational Institutions

Sensitive R&D Companies

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Industries That Will Benefit

Marketing

Education

Training

Sales

Content Creation

Corporate Communications

Product Demonstrations

Online Courses

Customer Support

Recruitment

Social Media

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Potential Business Uses

Internal announcements

Training videos

Product walkthroughs

CEO messages

HR onboarding

Corporate induction

Employee learning

Knowledge sharing

Marketing campaigns

Customer education

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Advantages

No camera setup

Professional appearance

Consistent branding

Fast content creation

Natural voice

Personalized communication

Reduced recording effort

Scalable video creation

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Possible Concerns

Deepfake misuse concerns

Employee privacy

Voice cloning sensitivity

Compliance requirements

Consent management

AI governance

Biometric handling

Policy updates

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Best Practices for Google Workspace Admins

✔ Review AI policies before rollout.

✔ Decide whether avatars align with your organization's compliance requirements.

✔ Communicate the feature to employees.

✔ Restrict access for sensitive departments if needed.

✔ Monitor audit logs after rollout.

✔ Update acceptable-use and AI governance policies.

✔ Train users on responsible AI usage.

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How to Verify the Setting

Google recommends checking the Gemini app settings audit log in the Admin Console after the setting becomes available (by around July 21, 2026) to confirm whether the feature is enabled or disabled.

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Relationship with Other Gemini Features

"My Avatar" is one part of Google's rapidly expanding Workspace AI ecosystem, which now includes:

• Gemini in Gmail
• Gemini in Docs
• Gemini in Sheets
• Gemini in Slides
• Gemini in Drive
• Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)
• AI-generated videos in Google Vids
• Workspace AI sharing controls
• AI Control Center
• Personal AI Avatars

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Final Thoughts

The introduction of My Avatar in Gemini represents Google's move toward AI-powered digital identity within Workspace. For many organizations, it can streamline training, communication, and content creation. At the same time, because it involves users' faces and voices, administrators should proactively review privacy, compliance, and acceptable-use policies before the August 2026 rollout.

Organizations that want to use the feature can simply leave it enabled. Those with stricter governance requirements can disable it globally or for selected organizational units and groups through the Google Admin Console.

 

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