Gemini for data analysis and chart generation in Google Sheets

Gemini has become a built-in assistant in Google Sheets, offering users new ways to automate data analysis, generate formulas, create summaries, and build live charts with minimal effort. Integrated directly into the familiar Sheets interface, Gemini can be accessed via both a sidebar and the newer AI cell function, enabling context-aware prompts across tables and data ranges. This article explores how Gemini performs spreadsheet analysis, how chart generation works in practice, and which structural limits apply across different Workspace plans.

Gemini is now embedded in Sheets with both sidebar and formula options.

Gemini first appeared in Google Sheets through the “Ask Gemini” sidebar, initially available in Workspace Labs in January 2025. It provided basic AI support, including data summarization, formula generation, and simple table insertion. At launch, Gemini could also create visualizations, but only as static PNG charts that were not editable.

Two major enhancements were released in mid-2025:

• June 9, 2025: Gemini began generating fully editable charts, integrated into the live spreadsheet and updating dynamically as data changed.

• June 25, 2025: The =AI() cell function was introduced, allowing users to write natural language prompts directly into cells to request summaries, insights, or formulas.

These updates brought Gemini’s integration closer to parity with other enterprise copilots, but with tighter coupling to Google’s native spreadsheet infrastructure.

The assistant can generate formulas, summarize tables, and insert editable charts.

Gemini supports a variety of analytical actions within Sheets, all controlled by user prompts either in the sidebar or via the =AI() formula. These actions include:

Function	Example Prompt	Output
Summarize dataset	“Summarize this sheet in five bullet points.”	Text summary inserted above or beside the data.
Generate formulas	“Create a SUMIF to total Q1 revenue for France.”	Auto-filled cell with working formula.
Insert tables	“Create a project tracker table with task and owner.”	New formatted table with dropdowns or checkboxes.
Create charts	“Insert a bar chart of monthly sales by product.”	Live chart, fully editable, linked to data range.

Charts can be refined through follow-up prompts such as:

• “Switch to stacked bar format.”

• “Add a trendline.”

• “Label the x-axis and y-axis.”

Gemini also attempts to auto-detect the appropriate range if the user’s cursor is inside a data block. However, best results come from explicitly referencing a range in the prompt (e.g., “Create a line chart from A2:G502”).

The chart generation feature is now fully interactive and responsive.

Unlike earlier iterations that inserted non-editable static images, Gemini now builds editable chart objects that behave like native Sheets visualizations. Supported chart types include:

• Bar and stacked bar

• Column and stacked column

• Line and area

• Pie and donut

• Scatter and combo charts

Each chart updates automatically if the underlying data changes. This allows Gemini to be used not only as a chart generator but also as a live reporting companion for dynamic datasets.

Example workflow:

Prompt: Create a line chart showing Revenue by Month using range B2:C14.
Follow-up: Add a linear trendline and label both axes.

These outputs can be moved, resized, or re-edited like any manually inserted Sheets chart.

Gemini works best within a single range and moderate dataset size.

While Gemini’s flexibility is improving, it still has notable technical limits when used in Sheets:

Constraint	Behavior
Single-range reference	Gemini can only process one range per prompt.
Maximum data size	Best performance under ~50,000 rows or <1 million total cells.
Slowdowns over large files	Files >200,000 rows may return fallback summaries or time out.
Regional language limits	Full feature set available only in major Workspace languages.

Users working with large datasets should use filters or summaries before asking Gemini to chart. Multi-range comparisons or multi-sheet queries are not yet supported. Prompting Gemini with exact cell ranges remains the best way to avoid misinterpreted or blank responses.

Security and admin settings apply to Gemini in Sheets.

Gemini respects all existing Google Sheets sharing and permissions settings. If a user cannot see a particular sheet, cell, or range, Gemini cannot access or summarize that data either.

For Workspace administrators:

• Gemini can be enabled or disabled at the domain or user-group level via Admin Console.

• Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rules and data region settings apply to Gemini-generated content the same way they do for manual edits.

• No external calls are made beyond Google's managed AI endpoints during Gemini prompts.

Enterprise and education users can configure Gemini access and logging, ensuring AI usage stays compliant with organizational data policies.

Summary table: Gemini features in Google Sheets (as of Sep 2025)

Capability	Available Since	Editability	Where Used
Sidebar summarization	Jan 2025	Text only	Ask Gemini panel
Static chart generation	Jan 2025	Not editable	Ask Gemini panel
Live editable chart generation	June 9, 2025	Fully editable	Ask Gemini panel
=AI() cell prompt function	June 25, 2025	Formula-based	Any cell in Sheets
Formula & table insertion	Ongoing	Editable cells	Sidebar and cell prompts

Gemini’s integration in Google Sheets provides a meaningful productivity boost for spreadsheet users looking to automate routine analysis and visualize data without relying on external tools. With editable chart generation and the new AI formula function, Gemini has positioned itself as a core tool in the evolving workspace AI ecosystem—especially for users already embedded in Google Workspace.

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