Based on a tutorial by Tuấn (Vietnamese Tech Educator)
Are you looking to leverage AI capabilities directly within your Google Sheets without any programming knowledge? You're not alone. Many users want powerful AI functions without the complexity of coding or expensive third-party tools.
In this article, I'll summarize an excellent tutorial that shows you how to create custom AI functions in Google Sheets using Google AI Studio - completely free and requiring zero programming experience.
Quick Navigation
What You Need to Get Started
The tutorial begins by addressing the common misconception that creating AI functions requires technical expertise. The creator assures viewers that this process is accessible to everyone, regardless of programming background.
Key Points:
- No programming knowledge required
- Takes approximately 5 minutes to set up
- Completely free to use (with usage limits)
- Allows creation of custom AI functions for various tasks like data generation, classification, and prediction
My Take:
This accessible approach to AI integration is perfect for professionals who want to experiment with AI capabilities without investing in expensive solutions or learning complex programming. The low barrier to entry makes it ideal for testing AI use cases in your existing workflows.
Understanding Google AI Studio
Before diving into the implementation, the tutorial provides an overview of Google AI Studio capabilities and shows how to compare different AI models available in the platform.
Key Points:
- Access Google AI Studio by searching for it in Google
- The platform offers a chat interface for testing prompts
- You can customize responses using system instructions
- A "compare mode" allows testing different models side by side
- Gemini 2.0 Flash is recommended for most general use cases due to its balance of cost and performance
My Take:
Taking time to explore the different models is worth it before implementation. The Gemini 2.0 Flash model offers an excellent balance between performance and cost for most basic applications, while Pro models are better suited for more complex tasks requiring detailed responses.
Getting Your API Key
This section explains how to obtain an API key from Google AI Studio and understand the usage limits associated with the free tier.
Key Points:
- Click "Get API Key" in Google AI Studio
- Free tier limits for Gemini 2.0 Flash include:
- 15 requests per minute (RPM)
- 1 million tokens per minute (TPM)
- 1,500 requests per day
- Different models have different usage limits
- You can create separate API keys for different projects to track usage
My Take:
Creating separate API keys for different projects or sheets is a smart strategy for tracking usage and managing quotas, especially if you plan to use this for client work or across multiple departments. The free tier limits are generous enough for most personal or small business use cases.
Creating the Custom AI Function
This section covers the steps to implement the AI function in Google Sheets using Apps Script and the API key obtained earlier.
Key Points:
- Click "Get Code" in Google AI Studio and select "Apps Script" format
- Create a new Google Sheet and open Apps Script from the Extensions menu
- Paste the code and insert your API key
- Modify the function to accept a parameter (user prompt)
- Handle the JSON response from the API to extract just the text result
// Your API key
const API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE";
// Main function to call Google AI API
function myAI(prompt) {
const model = "models/gemini-2.0-flash";
const url = `https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/${model}:generateContent?key=${API_KEY}`;
const payload = {
contents: [{
parts: [{
text: prompt
}]
}]
};
const options = {
method: "POST",
contentType: "application/json",
payload: JSON.stringify(payload)
};
const response = JSON.parse(UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, options).getContentText());
const output = response.candidates[0].content.parts[0].text;
return output;
}
My Take:
The most complex part of this process is handling the JSON response from the API, but the tutorial provides a clear template you can use. If you're not familiar with programming, simply copy this code and replace the API key with your own. For security reasons, consider using PropertiesService to store your API key instead of hardcoding it in the script.
Testing and Using Your AI Function
This section demonstrates how to test and use the newly created AI function within Google Sheets for practical applications.
Key Points:
- Save your script and return to your Google Sheet
- Use the function in cells like any other function: =myAI("Your prompt here")
- Create dynamic prompts by concatenating cell references with text
- Example use cases include:
- Gender prediction from names
- Sentiment analysis of text
- Generating content ideas
My Take:
The real power of this approach is that you can combine the AI function with regular spreadsheet functions to create dynamic workflows. For example, you could use it to automatically categorize customer feedback, generate product descriptions, or translate content at scale - all within the familiar Google Sheets interface.
Google's Built-in AI Function & Limitations
The tutorial concludes by mentioning Google's official AI function and discussing some limitations of both approaches.
Key Points:
- Google offers a built-in =AI() function, but it's currently limited to Gemini Advanced subscribers
- Current limitations of both custom and built-in AI functions include:
- Only returns text (no images, audio, or videos)
- Cannot undo function execution once run
- Function calls cannot be nested
- Usage limits apply based on your plan
My Take:
While there are some limitations to this approach, it represents an excellent starting point for integrating AI into your spreadsheet workflows. As these tools evolve, we can expect more capabilities to become available. For now, this custom function approach gives you the flexibility to work around some limitations and build tailored solutions.
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