Gemini in the Gmail app is getting a new feature that lets users quickly respond to emails with the power of artificial intelligence (AI). Also called contextual smart replies, this feature allows users to respond to incoming emails with detailed replies. The AI can process the content of the email and generate a response contextually. Notably, the Smart Reply feature was first introduced in 2017, but it only generates a short one-sentence answer. This feature is only available to Google Workspace users and free users of the platform will not see it.
Gemini in Gmail gets contextual smart replies
Replying to emails can be a time-consuming task, especially if someone receives a large number of emails every day. Google first released a solution to the smart reply problem in 2017, using machine learning to show three response options to an email. However, these were short, one-line answers, often lacking essential information that the user might need to add.
Gmail’s contextual smart replies feature
Photo credits: Google
In one blog post On Thursday, the Mountain View-based tech giant announced Contextual Smart Replies, an upgrade from the 2017 feature. It uses Google’s own Gemini AI models to generate contextually aware replies that users see once they enter the email page open.
After providing an answer, users will see multiple answer suggestions appear at the bottom of the screen. Users see the first few words of the title and the content. Once selected, AI generates a full response to the email that can be several paragraphs long and contains all the information the sender is looking for. This message can then be edited to add more information or as sent.
This feature is currently rolling out to Google Workspace users with the Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, or Education Premium add-ons. The feature will also be available to users on the Google One AI Premium subscription. This is mainly an app-based feature and is available on both Android and iOS.
