Google Cloud Gemini Enterprise Updates: Core Assistant GA, New Metrics

Google Cloud has released a new batch of updates for Gemini Enterprise, focusing on improvements for businesses building AI assistant and agent experiences. Key announcements include the general availability (GA) of Core Assistant and new preview features for observability, such as metrics and tracing Source.

Core Assistant Reaches General Availability

Core Assistant, Google's default "Made by Google" agent within Gemini Enterprise, has moved to general availability. This means the agent is now considered ready for broader production deployments and comes with enhanced support for enterprise users. Core Assistant is designed to manage user interactions when no other specific agent is designated Source.

For businesses, GA status typically brings clearer service level agreements (SLAs), dedicated enterprise support pathways, and more predictable upgrade cycles. This can significantly reduce the internal IT governance hurdles for adopting and scaling AI assistant solutions from pilot to full production.

Enhanced Observability Features in Preview

Google Cloud is rolling out new observability features in preview, specifically targeting metrics and tracing for Core Assistant and other agents. These tools are critical for businesses needing to monitor the performance and cost of their AI deployments.

Metrics for AI Agents

Metrics are now available in preview for Core Assistant, with collection enabled by default. These metrics are stored for six weeks (42 days) and do not incur additional billing charges, according to the Core Assistant documentation Source. This provides valuable data on agent usage patterns without immediate extra cost.

Tracing Capabilities

Tracing is also available in preview, allowing teams to gain deeper insights into agent operations. To enable tracing, users must activate OpenTelemetry traces and logs within their observability settings. Access to trace data is controlled by Cloud Trace permissions, specifically requiring the Cloud Trace User role. This structured access helps ensure security and compliance with enterprise access policies Source.

Why Observability Matters for Business Leaders

For operations, compliance, and product teams, robust observability is essential for scaling AI assistant and agent systems, especially in regulated or highly instrumented environments. Metrics and traces empower these teams to understand:

• Usage patterns: How often and in what ways users interact with the agents.
• Token costs: Tracking the computational resources consumed by AI interactions.
• Failure modes: Identifying and diagnosing issues or unexpected behaviors.

These insights are crucial before deploying AI assistants into customer-facing or mission-critical business workflows. The addition of these features reflects an industry trend where hyperscalers are packaging multimodal, agent-focused solutions for commercial use, with Google Cloud positioning Gemini Enterprise as a comprehensive platform for agent development and governance.

Other Notable Updates

Beyond Core Assistant's GA and new observability, Google Cloud’s July release notes include several other changes:

• Gemini Enterprise Mobile App GA: The mobile application for Google Identity users has reached general availability.
• Agent Removals and Deprecations: The Idea Generation agent has been removed from public preview, and some Grok 4.1 endpoints are scheduled for decommissioning on August 20, 2026. This highlights the ongoing need for enterprises to monitor platform changes and plan migrations accordingly Source.
• Migration Notes: Some data agents may require republication to new Gemini Enterprise instances, and changes to Conversational Analytics storage for engagement and token usage metrics were noted. Enterprises should review release notes for specific action items before upgrading.

These updates collectively show Google Cloud's continued effort to integrate multimodal models, developer tools, and operational controls into a cohesive product for enterprise AI assistants. For businesses, monitoring these changes, enabling new observability features, and planning for necessary migrations will be key to leveraging these advancements effectively.