Google wants users to integrate AI into their daily lives. As part of that effort, the tech giant recently announced a slate of new Gemini features aimed at helping users navigate Gmail more efficiently.
New tools include AI summaries of email conversations, a new AI inbox mode, and the ability to get help writing emails. While many of these features sound useful, they seem like another example of AI slowly creeping, or being pushed, into every aspect of life.
“With email volume at an all-time high, managing your inbox and information flow has become as important as the emails themselves. To help, we’re bringing Gmail into the Gemini era and making it your personal, active inbox assistant,” said Gmail Vice President of Product Blake Barnes in a blog post.
Google is not alone in trying to move users to AI. Tech companies are slowly integrating AI into the apps and platforms people already use. Microsoft has been stealing Copilot from its Office suite and PCs. Amazon wants users to shop with its Rufus assistant and recently gave Alexa an AI upgrade. OpenAI, on the other hand, has integrations with apps from Photoshop and Spotify to Target and Instacart.
Now Google wants to reinvent the way we do email.
First up is the new AI overview feature, which will feel familiar to anyone who has used Google Search recently. Gmail will now summarize long email threads. When a user opens a series of messages with multiple replies, Gmail will generate a “short summary of key points.” Google says the feature is rolling out today and will be free for all users.
For Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, there is a more advanced version. Those users can ask questions like, “Which plumber gave me a quote for my bathroom renovation last year?” and Gmail will scan their entire inbox for a response. This will effectively eliminate the need for users to dig through hundreds of old emails to track down a single piece of information.
Additionally, Gmail will now assist in writing emails. With “Help Me Write,” users can tell AI to revise email drafts or create messages from scratch. Gmail’s Smart Replies, short suggested replies that appear at the bottom of most emails, are also getting an upgrade. New Suggested Answers are designed to better match the user’s writing style while still providing one-click answers. Both these features are available to all users.
Meanwhile, paid subscribers will also get access to a new proofreading feature.
The biggest potential change, however, is something Google calls the AI inbox. Instead of a simple list of messages, it turns your inbox into a personalized notification with a list of recommended things to do like scheduling a dentist appointment, paying a bill, or sending a thank you note, all based on your emails. Google says it prioritizes what’s most important using factors like who you email most often, your contacts, and relationships it finds in email content.
The AI inbox will also generate short summaries of things users need to keep up to date, such as the upcoming football season or an upcoming holiday. This feature is currently being tested and will be more widely available in the coming months.
