Google has revealed it is adding a host of new AI tools and features to Gmail as it looks to offer users a smarter and more efficient way to stay in touch.
The company has unveiled a number of updates for its email service which it says will help Gmail "enter the Gemini era".
Among the new updates are AI Overviews for your inbox, improved writing and proofing assistance, and a new AI Inbox to flag the most important messages for your attention.
More AI in Gmail
In a blog post announcing the new additions, Google noted that the nature of email itself has changed significantly since Gmail was launched in 2004.
Managing inboxes has become something of a full-time job for many of us, and Google hopes AI will help provide the solution.
In particular, the new AI Inbox for Gmail looks to help cut out the clutter of crowded inboxes, effectively acting like a daily briefing for users.
Currently in testing before a wider roll out later this year, the tool can identify what messages or tasks need to be prioritized, based on data such as those people you email the most, meaning the important emails get flagged and addressed first.
Previously seen (not always positively) in Google Search, AI Overviews are now coming to Gmail. Working in an almost-identical fashion, the feature will be able to quick find and condense information from a range of sources (in this case, your emails) into a brief and (hopefully useful) summary.
Users can also ask Gmail a question in natural language, (such as “Who was the plumber that gave me a quote for the bathroom renovation last year?”) with Gemini trawling through your messages and pulling out an answer.
AI Overview conversation summaries will be available now, however the ability to ask your inbox questions with AI Overviews is only open to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers for now.
Finally, Gmail's "Help Me Write" tool is being expanded and upgraded to help users create better and smarter emails.
The service now includes new Suggested Replies, an update to the previous Smart Replies feature, which scans the context of your conversations to provide quick and relevant options. These will be written in your own style and tone of voice, with users provided with a draft to refine before approving.
In addition, a new Proofread feature offers improved grammar and syntax checking, as well as the ability to spot errors in tone and style, making sure your message is as polished as it can be.
Help Me Write and Suggested Replies are rolling out now for free to all users, with the Proofread feature currently only available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.
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