- Google demonstrated an update to Gmail powered by Gemini at its developer conference on Tuesday.
- Gemini can pull, summarize, and organize information from your entire inbox.
- These features show how great Gmail can be with an AI-powered assistant.
One of the big takeaways from Google's big developer conference on Tuesday was just how great Gmail is becoming.
Google's flagship email service is already beloved and essential, with more than 1.8 billion users worldwide. But future updates and smooth integration of Google's AI model Gemini could take Gmail to the next level.
In a live demonstration during the Google I/O keynote, Google Workspace Vice President Aparna Pappu announced three updates to Gmail using the Gemini-powered side panel assistant.
summarize
The first feature is the summary option. Gemini can read long email threads and summarize the main points, so you don't have to scroll up to read replies you might have missed.
Q&A
The Q&A feature allows Gmail users to easily ask questions and Gemini can browse and answer all emails and attachments. Examples include, “What time do the doors open for the Knicks game?” “When will my shoes arrive?” You don't have to search, open, and read an email to find the answer you're looking for; Gemini does it for you.
Smart responses depending on the situation
The third feature is Contextual Smart Reply, where Gemini suggests potential email responses. Unlike basic predictive response tools, the new feature suggests customized responses based on Gemini's review of what you've already discussed.
Google says these features will first arrive in the coming months in Google Workspace Labs, a program that allows users to experiment with AI.
AI-powered assistant could change the Gmail experience
If you're still not sure exactly how useful the new Gmail features are, Pappu walks you through a real-world use case.
In her example, she was trying to get someone to repair the roof of her house. First, Ms. Gemini summarized and confirmed her long email thread with one of her potential contractors. However, she couldn't remember what the quotes were from her two other contractors she contacted.
Instead of having to search through your inbox, find other emails, or remember the various quotes and availability for each, she tells Gemini to “Compare roof repair bids by price and availability. ” All I had to do was ask.
Immediately, Gemini returned a quick summary of each bid, allowing me to access and compile relevant information from three different email threads and easily and quickly compare them.
When she tried to respond, the response options Gemini suggested showed that Gemini understood the previous interaction.
Integration into other Workspace products
Google also showed how well future Gmail will integrate with other Workspace products such as Google Sheets.
In another example, Mr. Papu asked Gemini to help him organize and track his receipts.
Gemini quickly scanned her inbox and compiled all her receipts into a detailed and neatly laid out spreadsheet. This process can take several hours to complete manually. Users can also have Gemini automate this process, so future receipts will be automatically organized and added.
Overall, Google's demonstration showed how great Gmail's AI-powered features are.
For those who rely on Gmail for both work and personal life, Gemini's integration could indeed become a game-changing AI assistant.
On February 28, Axel Springer, the parent company of Business Insider, joined 31 other media groups in filing a $2.3 billion lawsuit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses caused by the company's advertising practices. I woke you up.
