Gemini is getting a new feature in the Gmail app that will let users respond to emails instantly with the power of artificial intelligence (AI). Dubbed Contextual Smart Replies, the feature allows users to respond to incoming emails with detailed replies. AI can process the content of emails and generate replies contextually. Notably, the Smart Reply feature was first introduced in 2017, but it only generates a short one-liner response. The feature is only available to Google Workspace users, and free users of the platform won’t see it.
Gemini in Gmail gets contextual smart reply feature
Responding to emails can be a time-consuming proposition, especially if one receives large amounts of emails on a daily basis. Google first released a solution to the problem in 2017 with Smart Replies, which used machine learning to show three options for replies to emails. However, these were short one-line responses that often did not contain any significant information for the user to add.
Gmail contextual smart reply feature
Photo Credit: Google
In a blog post on Thursday, the Mountain View-based tech giant announced Contextual Smart Replies, an upgrade to the 2017 feature. It uses Google’s original Gemini AI model to generate contextually aware replies that users will see after entering the email page.
After starting the answer, users will see several answer suggestions at the bottom of the screen. Users will see the title and the first few words of the content. Once selected, the AI will generate a full reply to the email which can be several paragraphs long and include all the information requested by the sender. This message can then be edited to add more information or sent as is.
This feature is currently being rolled out to Google Workspace users with the Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, or Education Premium add-on. This feature will also be available to users with Google One AI premium subscription. Notably, it is an app-based feature and is available on both Android and iOS.
