One of the big takeaways from Google’s big developer conference on Tuesday was just how incredible Gmail looks like it’s about to get.
Google’s signature email service is already beloved and indispensable for many, with more than 1.8 billion users worldwide. But the coming updates and seemingly 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, Aparna Pappu, vice president of Google Workspace, announced three updates coming to Gmail that will use a Gemini-powered Side Panel Assistant:
Summarize
The first feature is a summarize option, where Gemini can read through a long email thread and summarize the main points, saving you from having to scroll up and read replies you may have missed.
Q&A
The Q&A function allows Gmail users to simply ask a question that Gemini can answer by referencing all of their emails and attachments. Examples given include, “What time do doors open for the Knicks’ game?” and “When are my shoes arriving?” Rather than have to search for an email, open it, and read through it to find the answer you’re looking for, Gemini can do it for you.
Contextual smart reply
The third feature is contextual smart reply, where Gemini suggests potential email responses. Unlike basic predictive response tools, the new function will suggest customized responses based on Gemini reviewing what’s already been discussed.
Google said the features will first roll out to Google Workspace Labs, a program where users can experiment with AI, in the coming months.
The AI-powered assistant could transform the Gmail experience
If you’re still not sure exactly how useful the new Gmail features could be, Pappu walked through a real-life use case.
In her example, she was trying to schedule someone to do roof repairs on her house. First, Gemini summarized a long email thread with one of the potential contractors for her to review. But she couldn’t remember what the quotes were from the other two contractors she contacted.
Rather than have to search through her inbox, find the other emails, remember the various quotes and availability of each, she simply asked Gemini to “compare my roof repair bids by price and availability.”
Within moments, Gemini returned a brief summary of each bid, accessing and compiling the relevant information from three different email threads, making it easy to quickly compare them.
When she went to reply, Gemini’s suggested response options showed it understood the back-and-forth up to that point.
Integration into other Workspace products
Google also showed just how well integrated the Gmail of the future could be with other Workspace products, like Google Sheets.
In another example, Pappu asked Gemini to help her organize and track receipts.
Within moments, Gemini scanned the inbox and compiled all the receipts into a detailed and neatly laid out spreadsheet — a process that could take hours if completed manually. Users can also have Gemini automate this process, so receipts in the future would automatically be organized and added.
Overall, Google’s demonstrations showed just how impressive AI-powered features could be in Gmail.
For those who rely on Gmail in their professional and personal lives, the integration of Gemini sure looks like it might be a game-changing AI assistant.
