Gmail users with Android devices can now engage directly with Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, within the Gmail app. This new feature, Gmail Q&A, was introduced on Thursday for users who subscribe to Gemini, and it will soon be available on iOS devices as well.
Gmail Q&A allows users to use Google Gemini in the Gmail app as a personal assistant that can access and read through their entire email inbox. For example, users can ask Gemini to summarize emails with phrases like, “Catch me up on the emails about quarterly planning.” Additionally, users can inquire about specific details, such as, “How much did the company spend on the last marketing event?”
However, users should be cautious of occasional inaccuracies that can occur with AI models.
Previously, users would rely on the search bar at the top of Gmail to find specific information. While this search option remains available, the new Gemini button will be placed next to the search bar, reflecting Google’s move towards incorporating AI chat features. Rather than searching for the original email, the AI chatbot will provide a summary of the information, citing the source email in its response.
Users who subscribe to the service can access Gmail Q&A by clicking the black star logo, which symbolizes Gemini across Google’s product suite, located in the top-right corner of the app. Currently, the feature only accesses emails, but Google plans to extend this capability to include files in Drive accounts.
In June, the Gmail Q&A feature was introduced to web users of Gmail who subscribe to Gemini or Google One AI Premium, with these users paying around $20 a month for such AI functionalities. This subscription is part of Google’s strategy to develop a product and application ecosystem around Gemini.
It appears unlikely that Gmail Q&A will be made available to free Gmail users in the near future. Instead, Google aims to persuade users of the value of the monthly subscription to Gemini. The company is integrating Gemini with other products like Google Docs, Gmail, Google Calendar, and more, all of which come with associated costs. These AI products represent Google’s key initiative to monetize Gemini.
