Google Gemini’s “Projects” Update: Organize Chats, Files, and Persistent Context
Google is testing a Projects workspace inside the Gemini app — a focused, ChatGPT-style place to group chats, upload reference files, and keep context tied to a single topic or ongoing job. Here’s a practical breakdown.
What is the “Projects” feature?
Projects is an in-app workspace concept under development for Google’s Gemini app. It creates a topic-bound area where you can collect multiple chat threads, attach source documents or images, and let Gemini maintain context across the project — rather than forcing you to paste or repeat information between separate chats.
Early beta screenshots and app-teardown reports show a “New Project” flow with the ability to add files and name the project, plus a project-specific list of chats and assets. Think of it as a lightweight project folder that carries context with it.
Key improvements and features
1. Persistent context across chats
- Attach reference files (documents, PDFs, images) once and have Gemini reference them across multiple chats.
- Keep project-level instructions (tone, audience, constraints) that persist with the workspace.
2. Multi-chat organization
- Create multiple chats inside one project to separate brainstorming, drafting, and editing tasks.
- Quickly switch between sub-chats while the project-level context remains active.
3. File attachments & uploads
- Upload reference files (reports, datasets, images) — early previews show multi-file support.
- Gemini can cite or use uploaded files during follow-up prompts without reuploading.
4. Templates & quick actions
- Potential for pre-built templates (e.g., research, content calendar, code review) to jumpstart projects.
- Action chips for tasks like “Summarize”, “Create outline”, or “Extract data”.
How Projects likely works (based on beta teardowns)
Reports from reputable teardown and beta-reporting sites indicate Projects appears in the latest Google app beta and uses a simple modal for creating a new project. You name the project, optionally upload files (multiple attachments), and then open or create chats inside that workspace. Gemini keeps project metadata (files, goals, constraints) attached so they’re available to all sub-chats.
- Create: Tap “New Project”, give it a name and add files or notes.
- Organize: Start several topic-specific chats inside the Project (e.g., “Draft”, “Research”, “QA”).
- Reference: Use natural-language prompts that implicitly draw on uploaded files without reattaching them.
- Export: Export a chat or project bundle (summary, files) for sharing or archiving — expected in later builds.
Real-world use cases
• Content teams
- One project per article — include research sources, editorial briefs, image assets and drafts in dedicated chats.
- Editors and contributors can iterate without losing context or re-uploading references.
• Developers & data analysts
- Keep code snippets, bug reports, and datasets together while asking Gemini for refactors or data summaries.
- Combine with Gemini CLI extensions (Data Commons, Looker) for grounded data work.
• Students & researchers
- Group literature notes, PDFs, and iterative drafts inside one project — ideal for thesis or long reports.
• Personal productivity
- Plan trips, manage DIY projects, or keep long-term routines organized with persistent context and attachments.
Availability & rollout expectations
Projects is currently visible in beta builds and teardown screenshots. Google appears to be testing the feature in staged releases; a public rollout will likely follow iterative betas and server-side enablement. In parallel, Google has confirmed a broader Gemini app UX refresh (UX 2.0) and is developing a native macOS client — both moves that increase the chance Projects will be a fully integrated, cross-platform feature.
If you want to try it early, watch the Google app beta channel and the Gemini app release notes for opt-in availability.
Privacy, data handling & best practices
Projects improves workflow, but file uploads and persistent context raise governance questions. Treat Projects like any cloud workspace: assume attachments are stored server-side unless Google explicitly documents on-device-only storage.
- Don’t upload secrets: Avoid sensitive personal data, passwords, or proprietary IP in beta Projects.
- Check retention: Review project retention and deletion controls once available — remove items you no longer need.
- Team sharing: Understand access controls before sharing a Project with colleagues or external reviewers.
- Audit logs: For enterprise users, confirm whether activity logs and provenance data are available for compliance.
How Projects stacks up vs ChatGPT Projects
Conceptually, Projects mirrors the workspace idea found in other AI apps: persistent context, files attached to a workspace, and multiple sub-chats. Differences will depend on execution — for example, how Gemini links Projects to broader Google services (NotebookLM import, Drive integration, Maps and Calendar attachments) and how it enforces privacy boundaries.
A strong advantage for Google would be deep integration with Drive, Workspace, and the Gemini CLI ecosystem (Data Commons and Looker extensions) — enabling richer, data-driven project workflows that cross both user and developer scenarios.
Final thoughts
Projects promises to make Gemini far more useful for real-world, multi-step work by eliminating the need to repeat context and by organizing assets and sub-chats around a common goal. The feature is still in beta testing, so expect changes to the UI and capabilities as Google refines the experience.
If you manage content, data, or collaborative workflows, Projects is worth watching — and if you use Gemini in enterprise settings, request clear documentation from Google about retention, access controls, and enterprise admin options before you adopt Projects for sensitive workflows.