Google is testing a new feature in Gmail called AI Inbox. Basically, it scans your emails, picks out the important bits, and points out tasks so you don’t have to spend ages scrolling. It sounds useful, especially if your inbox is a mess.
For example, it might notice a dentist appointment in an email and suggest rescheduling it. Or it could flag a note from your kid’s coach or a bill that’s coming up. Below the tasks, it shows key topics from your emails. Each one links back to the original email, so you can check the details if you want.
Accuracy Still a Challenge
AI has come a long way, but it’s not perfect. Back in 2023, Google tried something similar with Bard, and it often got details wrong. Now, with Gemini, it’s better, but Gmail still warns that it can make mistakes. You shouldn’t trust it blindly, especially for important stuff.
Privacy Matters
Google says your emails won’t be used to train AI models. Blake Burns, the project lead, mentioned they built privacy protections specifically for this feature. If you’re not comfortable, you can turn off AI features altogether.
Free and Paid Tools
Some AI features are now free for everyone. That includes Help Me Write, which can draft emails based on what you type, and AI Overviews, which gives you a quick summary of long email threads.
If you’re paying for Google AI Ultra or AI Pro, there are extra perks. You get an AI proofreading tool to help polish grammar and style, plus a feature that can summarize your entire inbox on a topic of your choice.
Is It Worth Trying?
AI Inbox could be handy for organizing old emails and keeping track of tasks. But it’s not flawless. After all, missing a dentist appointment is not on my to-do list.
