Best AI for Google Sheets: Gemini and the =AI() Function

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For Google Sheets, the best option is Gemini built into Sheets - its side panel can create tables, formulas and charts, while the =AI() function can categorise or summarise hundreds of cells at once. If you only need a formula now and then, the free versions of Gemini or ChatGPT in a separate tab may be enough.

This is one of the short answers in our Which AI for what? 50 answers series. I checked this on October 8, 2026.

Three options: free, best overall and advanced

My mini test

I gave Gemini 3.8 Flash through the API 20 transactions from a bank statement, from “Biedronka groceries” to “Tauron distribution charge,” and asked it to work like =AI(): assign each one of five categories. The test used Polish transaction descriptions and prompts. It classified all 20 correctly, including the tricky “Gemini Pharmacy ibuprofen” (Health, not something related to AI) and “Bolt Food pizza” (Food, not Transport). Finally, it returned the formula =SUMIF(B:B; “Food”; C:C) with semicolons, which works with Polish spreadsheet settings. The test cost $0.004.

How to use the =AI() function in four steps

1. In an empty column, enter a formula such as =AI("Assign a category: Food, Transport, Bills, Entertainment, Health"; A2). This is a translation of the Polish test prompt, not a separately tested English prompt.
2. Drag the formula down, then run generation for the selected cells (up to 350 cells at a time).
3. Check 10-20 random rows. The result does not update automatically when you change the data - you need to generate it again.
4. When the result looks right, copy the column and paste it as values so changes do not use up your limit again.

What to watch out for

• You cannot nest =AI() inside another formula, such as IF. Generate a column first, then calculate with it.
• Use ordinary formulas for sums and averages, not =AI(). AI is for text tasks such as categorising, summarising and extracting information from descriptions.
• The function has daily limits. If you have several thousand rows, process them in batches.
• Do not send spreadsheets containing customers’ personal data to AI without your company’s permission. See our guide to what not to paste into ChatGPT.

Copy-and-paste prompt

The following is an English translation of the original Polish prompt template, not a prompt tested in English.

I’m working in Google Sheets (Polish settings, with semicolons as the separator).
My columns are: [A: date, B: transaction description, C: amount, D: ...].
I want to: [for example, total food spending for each month / find duplicate entries / assign a category to each row].
1. Give me one formula to paste into cell [for example, F2] and say whether to drag it down.
2. Explain in three sentences how it works.
3. Give an example using three rows so I can check the result by hand.
If the task cannot be done with one formula, suggest a helper column instead of a script.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gemini in Google Sheets free?

No. Gemini in Sheets and the =AI() function are available on paid plans: Google AI Pro and Ultra for personal accounts, and, among others, Workspace Business Standard and Plus for businesses. You can ask Gemini questions for free in a separate tab and paste in the formulas it gives you.

Does Gemini in Google Sheets work in Polish?

The Gemini side panel in Sheets supports Polish. If a feature does not respond to a Polish instruction, Google advises switching your account language to a supported one.

Google Sheets or Excel: which has better AI?

It depends on which program you already use. I cover Excel with Copilot separately in AI for Excel, and explain how to create individual formulas step by step in this guide to writing an Excel formula with AI.

Find more short answers in Which AI for what?, and ready-to-use prompts for Gmail, Docs and Sheets in practical Gemini prompts for Google Workspace.

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