TLDR;
This video provides an overview of the new AI-powered features in Gmail, marking a significant update to the email platform. These features include AI overviews for summarizing email threads, smarter AI replies that adapt to your tone, the "Help Me Write" tool for drafting emails, AI-powered proofreading, and the ability to ask questions about your inbox in plain English. Some features are free, while others require a Google AI subscription. The goal of these updates is to combat inbox overload and improve email management.
- AI overviews summarize long email threads for quick understanding.
- Smarter AI replies match your tone and writing style for more natural responses.
- "Help Me Write" assists in drafting emails quickly, especially useful for overcoming writer's block.
- Proofread offers AI-driven suggestions to improve grammar, word choice, tone, and clarity (paid feature).
- Users can ask questions about their inbox in plain English to find specific information (paid feature).
- AI Inbox provides a dashboard-like view of important emails and suggested to-dos (paid feature, early access).
Gmail gets its biggest AI update in years [0:00]
Google has introduced a major AI update to Gmail, representing one of the most significant changes in years. The new features include the ability to summarize long email threads, ask questions about your inbox in plain English, help you write emails in your own tone, and highlight what matters most in your inbox. The video will cover all the new AI features, specifying which ones are free and which require a paid subscription.
Why Google is rethinking email [0:30]
Email has remained largely unchanged over the past few decades, but the volume of email we receive has increased dramatically. These AI updates are Google's response to the problem of inbox overload, aiming to make email management more efficient and user-friendly.
AI overviews summarize long email threads [0:46]
Gmail now offers AI overviews for email threads, a feature available for free to all users. This feature provides a quick summary of long email threads, allowing users to quickly catch up without having to read every message. It is particularly useful for group emails or long-running conversations, saving time and effort.
Smarter AI replies that match your tone [1:19]
Gmail now provides smarter AI-generated reply suggestions that consider the context of the conversation and match your tone and writing style. These improved suggestions are available to all users at no cost. This feature is especially helpful for quick back-and-forth emails, such as coordinating plans or answering follow-ups, and the replies feel more natural than the previous smart replies.
Use Help Me Write to draft emails fast [2:04]
The "Help Me Write" feature assists users in drafting emails quickly. By pressing the forward slash (/) or clicking the Gemini icon, users can enter a prompt describing the email they want to write. The AI generates a draft that can be refined by formalizing, elaborating, or shortening the message. This feature is particularly useful when starting with a blank message or needing to create a first draft rapidly.
Proofread emails with AI suggestions (paid) [3:31]
The "Proofread" feature, available with a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription, helps improve emails you've already written. It suggests improvements to grammar, word choice, tone, and clarity, highlighting areas for potential refinement. Users can accept or ignore the suggestions to polish their message, resulting in a cleaner and more refined email.
Ask your inbox questions in plain English (paid) [4:28]
A paid feature allows users to ask questions about their inbox in plain English to find specific information. Instead of manually searching through emails, users can type their question into the search field, and Gmail uses AI to scan the inbox and provide a direct answer. This is especially useful for locating information from past conversations that you remember but don't want to hunt down manually.
Explore the new AI Inbox experience (paid) [5:20]
The AI Inbox is a new feature currently rolling out to trusted testers. It provides a dashboard-like view of what needs your attention, organizing emails and suggesting to-dos. Gmail groups related messages together and provides summaries, helping users quickly see what requires action and what can be reviewed later. This feature complements the traditional inbox, helping users prioritize and prevent important items from being overlooked.
Availability, rollout details, & final thoughts [6:38]
The new Gmail AI features are starting to roll out in the US, initially in English, with more languages and regions to follow. Some features, like AI Inbox, are in early access, so availability may vary.
